Mahindras shoot past BSF, to the top

“I was having the jitters till the very end because we did not consolidate on the 58th minute lead,” said Mahindras makeshift coach Harish Rao. “This is the first time that we have garnered more than 10 points and topped the table in the last four years,” he added.

Rao was all praise for Satish Minz, Nitin Pradhan, Khalid Siddique and Aqueel Ansari and was sad that he has still not found a player to combine with Bassam Khatib, the top scorer of the Jordanian League. Mahindras now move to Calcutta where they meet Tollygunge Agragami on January 19 and East Bengal on January 24.

BSF coach Sham Kumar disputed the goal. He stated the goalkeeper was brought down by attackers in the six-yard goal area before Bernard headed home the goal. “We missed two chances and matched the opponents move for move. It was only in the dying stages that Mahindras missed sitters when the BSF defence had thrown caution to the wind in a desperate search for the equaliser,” he added.

There’s no doubt that Mahindras could have won by a far more better margin. But it was former India and BSF goalkeeper Bibhas Saha who stood between them and another goal.

The BSF goalkeeper’s performance and the prodigality of Bassam Khatib and M Najeeb kept Mahindras on the edge of the seat till the very end.

The lone goal came off a corner. Aqueel Ansari, who had another good day in mid-field, floated the ball to the far post and Bernard’s header beat two defenders on the goalline after goalkeeper Bibhas had dropped down.