Mahindras share spoils with RCF

Aug 19: Mahindras setteled for their seventh stalemate in eight matches as they drew a blank against RCF in the Gulf Oil Super Division mat...

Aug 19: Mahindras setteled for their seventh stalemate in eight matches as they drew a blank against RCF in the Gulf Oil Super Division match at the Cooperage today.

They have eight points from eight matches while RCF, who have won two games and drawn four, too have 10 points.

On an uneven surface, that Cooperage presented today, it was difficult to expect the ball to roll kindly for any teams. Naturally, the game was bereft of any good moves and the only excitement came in the form of sporadic made by either teams.

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From their attacking instincts it was evident that Mahindras were fancing their three points. But RCF came out with other ideas as they just pushed one player forward, Douglas D’Sena.

Douglas created some anxious moments late in the first half as he was given space in the flanks to bolt but he never got an opportunity to have a go at the Mahindra goal.

Mahindras were unlucky as they hit the post twice in the same move. In the final analysis, they should rue the loss of two points in a match which they dominated and had more than a fair share of the chances.

Rolampong Kabui was in the thick of things early in the second half when substitute Satish Minz, who had come for Khaleed Siddique, provided a high ball for Kabui to swivel and take a right foot shot which, miraculously for RCF, went over the bar.

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That was in the 64th minute. Five minutes later, the awkward bounce of the ground nearly must have given RCF a heartache as a free-kick struck by Balin Singh from 30-yards out, nearly threatened to go over RCF goalkeeper Suhas Patil. The helpless Patil got the ball on his chest and the rebound was grabbed by another sub Bhaleshwar Singh, who however, could not make much of it.

Then in the 75th minute came the best moment in the match as Satish Minz struck from 35 yards a fierce left-foot shot which smashed into Patil’s right post and rebounded into action. Santosh Kashyap acted quickly, moved from the right and placed a right-foot shot which struck the left post and went out of RCF’s harm.

In the Gulf Oil First Division encounter, Goans defeated Rebels 2-1. Chintamani Adarkar and Pratik Nerkar scored for the winners while Vernon Almeida reduced the margin for the losers.