Dempo pocket third win in row

MARGAO, February 23: Luck was definitely not on Mahindras side, with the upright denying them thrice, which could well of broken the Mumbai ...

MARGAO, February 23: Luck was definitely not on Mahindras side, with the upright denying them thrice, which could well of broken the Mumbai teams shackles of languishing as the last team of the league.

Dempo Sports Club, Goa were the benefactors of Mahindras’ luckless show as they clung on to Francis Pocket’ Silveira’s 30th minute goal to gain full points in the Philips National Football League at the Nehru Stadium today.

Dempo thus took their points tally to 14 from 12 outings with their third win in the league and occupy eighth position. Mahindras, on the other hand, suffered their 11th loss and continue to remain in the cellar.

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The encounter was devoid of spectacular moves and was played at a lethargic pace until the last quarter of the game when Mahindras looked as though they would rap up proceedings. The segment also saw Dempo’s defender Lawrance Fernandes be ejected by referee G H Chauhan (Gujarat) for the most “ungentlemanly conduct,” wherein he received his second booking for deliberatelystamping Mahindras medio Balagopal Mahajan.

The visitors’ medio, against the run of the play, was brought down by a rough tackle by Joao Soares a yard inside the box leaving Balagopal reeling in pain. Irritated by Balagopal’s behaviour, Lawrence who was nowhere in the picture went up and stamped him.