Seriki settles the issue for BMFC

With Central Railway whetting the appetite with a last-minute equaliser against Mahindras in the earlier match, the stage was set for a no-prisoners-battle.

Surely enough, with rival camps drum-beating their warriors to the precipice, the rush of adrenalin,the disregard for the physical well-being of the self and the sheer taste for battle resurrected a league seemingly left for the dead by a season of controversy and administrative impotence.

BMFC, were the obvious heroes today. But spare a thought for the brave. Referee JP Singh, handicapped by inept linesmen, carried the weight of a cruncher on his shoulders. On hindsight, given the pace and ferocity of battle, the game never escaped his control. Nor after it, as an enraged and animated Air-India defender Subir Sinha moved menacingly onto to him.

But much as BMFC coach Jamshed Nassiri rejoices along with his professional players tonight, Bimal Ghosh and his accomplished amateurs must be saluted for an heroic assault on the title that saw Air-India lead by a goal at half-time scored in splendid fashion by striker Anthony Fernandes when the match was not quite six minutes old.

But as the heavens opened and the ground turned soggy, a tiring Air-India mid-field allowed their adversaries too much space tocome back into the match.

Inevitably, BMFC were on level terms and seizing control thereafter looked good to wrap up the title in resounding fashion.

The point Air-India collected today put them level with arch-rivals Mahindras on 32 points. But Air-India slip to third position on goal difference, harbouring hopes 8212; albeit faint 8212; on a favourable response from the All India Football Federation AIFF to award them points on the Central Bank of India player ineligibility case. They would then switch positions with Mahindras.

Air-India flew into the lead with a spectacular touch by Fernandes who slid the ball past Amit Rao Singha, stepping in for first-choice Gumpe Rime who apparently has left on vacation.

Fernandes, inspired today, applied the finishing touches to Khambiton Singh8217;s free-kick, relayed by mid-field supremo Godfrey Pereira even as BMFC were perhaps re-motivating themselves to secure the title.

They did that in style as a herculean effort by defender Harsharanjit Singh, the side8217;sengine-room medio Sanjay Dayal and ebullient wing-back Gurinder Pal Singh, laid the foundations for a resurgence.

But till that happened Air-India did much to take a commanding lead. Fernandes struck the metal work after combining with Pereira and moments later the duo failed to gain a two-goal cushion as action in front of the BMFC goal turned frenetic.

But the best chance of the half fell to BMFC and Herbert Philip, attempting to finish a clinical cross by Nigerian striker Emeka Achilefu, agonised as Subir Sinha brought off a breath-taking goalline save.

No denying BMFC, though. A foul on Udaykumar Konar gave Kasif Jamal to float a free-kick for Seriki, shaking off his marker, to head over Shyam Sawant into the goal in the 55th minute.

A paucity of chances came Air-India8217;s way in the second half as BMFC fans8217; fireworks seemed to herald the most likely outcome. But Jamil, understandably tired after inter-collegiate commitments, fired a grounder wide in an attempt to change the script.

A remarkableeffort on the pitch, despite the conditions underfoot, had the crowd in raptures. And despite an unsavoury moment when a free-for-all almost ensued after a foul on BMFC striker Herbert Philip, those present at the Cooperage this evening might well have returned home with an enhanced hope for the sport in the city 8212; WIFA controversies, faux pas and anarchic administration notwithstanding.