Services, Bengal notch dominant wins in Santosh Trophy

HYDERABAD: Title holders Services and former champions West Bengal registered dominant victories in Group A matches of the final round of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy here on Monday.

West Bengal maintained their top spot on the points table after beating hosts Telangana 3-0 for their second consecutive win, while defending champions Services finally got going and opened their account with a 4-0 win over Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu & Kashmir remained at the bottom with no points from two games. Telangana are currently on fifth with a point from their draw against Rajasthan on the opening day.

For West Bengal, Narohari Shrestha (45+3, 56th) struck twice while Robi Hansda (39th) scored once.

The cautious and defensive setup of Telangana could only keep West Bengal at bay until the 39th minute. Hansda took advantage of a botched clearance inside the box and smashed it into the bottom corner for the opening goal.

It was Hansda's eighth goal of the Santosh Trophy campaign, which helped him overtake Tamil Nadu's Lijo K to become the current top-scorer.

Shrestha joined the scoresheet with a superb glancing header into the roof of the net at the stroke of half-time. Shrestha continued his fine scoring form and netted his second and West Bengal's third goal of the game in the 56th minute.

Receiving a through ball from Rabilal Mandi at the edge of the box, Shrestha swiftly turned and side-footed it into the bottom right corner.

In the match, Lethaolen Khongsai (11th), Sreyas VG (26th), Rahul Ramakrishnan (53rd)and Thingnam Bidyasagar Singh (54th) scored in Services' 4-0 drubbing of J&K.

Coming into the game after a defeat to Manipur, Services were dominant from the get-go and led 2-0 at half-time.

Khongsai scored the opener in the 11th minute, nodding in a free-kick from captain Christopher Kamei with a back header towards the far post. Sreyas made it 2-0 by converting a low cross from Alan Thapa with a textbook finish from six yards out.

Jammu and Kashmir had started to find some rhythm as the game progressed but any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Services scored twice in the 53rd and 54th minutes.

Rahul Ramakrishnan got on the end of a long ball from Khongsai and calmly slotted it past goalkeeper Nirdosh Sagotra.

Thapa then got his second assist of the game as he set up Bidyasagar Singh, who cut to his left and drilled it in.