James stars for Chembur English with 2 goals

July 22: It was a mismatch of the highest level in the Mumbai District Football Association-conducted Harwood League at the St Xavier's gro...

July 22: It was a mismatch of the highest level in the Mumbai District Football Association-conducted Harwood League at the St Xavier’s ground, Parel today.

Chembur English trounced Central Railway (Parel Workshop) 4-1 in a clash in which the winners did not have to exert hard. Though the football was beautiful, it was nevertheless one-sided.

The Chembur English domination was far too evident and but they did not let down the handful of spectators by scoring four goals.

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If Prasad Puthran was the star in the first half, James Fernandes stole the show in the second with his two goals. The first goal was late in coming, Chembur English getting it only in the 24th minute with Chandrakant Kola providing the bullet for Bhupendra Rana to finish it off with his left foot.Puthran also scored with his left foot, but he went all alone from around 40 yards, dribbling past several defenders and finishing it off clinically.

Again in the second half, Chembur English took their time to score with the third goal coming in the 76th minute. Narendra Rana providing Fernandes with a crisp pass from the left which James smashed it in.

The fourth goal, scored in the last minute, was the best of the lot. From 35 yards out, James judged the goalkeeper, Michael Quodras, to be off his line and sent in a rasping right foot shot. Quodras, was not only off the line but also judged it wrongly, putting in a late jump in trying to prevent it from entering.

Before this goal, however, Central Railway, had managed to reduce the margin when Bosco Fernandes scored.

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Earlier, in a First Division league match for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Trophy, Vikhroli defeated Larsen & Toubro 2-1.

Edgar D’Sa scored both goals for the winners while M Shinde reduced the margin for the losers.