Mahindras8217; maiden win

MUMBAI, July 16: Mahindras, can now afford a smile after receiving a gift, wrapped and sealed by Maharashtra State Police MSP goalkeeper ...

MUMBAI, July 16: Mahindras, can now afford a smile after receiving a gift, wrapped and sealed by Maharashtra State Police MSP goalkeeper Ansari at the Cooperage, today.

Ansari8217;s dreadful error gave the struggling jeepmen the lead before a late goal flattened MSP8217;s hopes of collecting their first point in the Gulf Oil WIFA Super Division football league.

MSP8217;s challenge faded after Abhay Kumar, former Mohun Bagan striker, gleefully accepted Ansari8217;s generosity to put the jeepmen 2-1 ahead in the 75st minute. The cops, until then, had looked good enough to draw if not win.A lob by Andrew Louis had Ansari floundering. The goalkeeper8217;s ill-timed jump, hands and fingers outstretched, failed to ward off danger and Abhay scored his first of two goals with a simple tap.

The same striker blasted in from point-blank range a minute from time to complete a flattering maiden victory this season for Mahindras who have done little justice to a squad enhanced with big names from around the country.Whether or not the win will inspire a turnaround is open to conjecture, but for the moment the National League cellar team can draw some solace with six points from four matches following three successive draws.

Khalid Siddique, national list player and former UBI striker, volleyed Herbert Philips cross, confidently and calculatedly over Ansari to open the scoring in the 18th minute.

Another quality goal, this time at the other end, brought the scores level in the 39th minute. Abdul Faim did justice to an incisive through from substitute Anil Shinde, side-stepping Gumpe Rime before slotting home.The cops were the more enterprising in the first half, pinning Mahindras back for long spells, but the trend changed after the interval.

Mahindras showed more purpose in the second-half as the cops play turned a trifle ragged and physical. But the jeepmen were guilty of unimaginative 8212; and selfish 8212; play. Going for glory, Abhay, Philip and the impressive Siddique attempted to score when colleagues were well placed to nod in crosses.

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Mahindras began to control the game after Nagesh Swamy took the pitch in place of the hardworking Philip. The sub almost scored with his first touch as Ansari lost the ball in a display of misplaced impulsiveness that was soon to contribute to MSP8217;s doom.

Mahindras kept the pressure on but their forwards failed miserably in front of goal. Siddique failed to nudge in after the ball fell kindly from a Khalid Jamil free-kick.

MSP8217;s luck, though, did not last very long. The cops, punished for Ansari8217;s lapse, succumbed again in the dying moments as Abhay made amends for inadequate finishing seconds earlier.

A quick one-two with Siddique, followed by a blinding left-footer completed a miserable day for the hapless MSP goalkeeper.

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Rizvi beat Young Boys 2-1 in a First Division fixture played earlier.Praveen Goveas netted both for the winners. Alfraz was Young Boys8217; lone scorer, the losers being reduced to nine-men after two sending-offs.