JCT Mills Phagwara overcame a spirited challenge from State Bank of Travancore to emerge victorious by a solitary goal in the eleventh round of the ninth ONGC National Football League match in Ludhiana on Monday.
With this win, JCT Mills have taken their points tally to 15 while the visitors' remained on nine points.
The winner came in the third minute itself when forward Harvinder Singh capped off his solo run from outside the box with a fantastic strike.
This set up a fast pace for attacks and counter attacks but both the sides failed to find the net.
JCT Mills could have surely won the match with a better margin had their forwards then cashed on a number of chances that came their way.
Manjeet Singh and Hardeep Gill were the culprits midway in the first half when they missed sitters in quick succession and then a reverse kick by Alexender Jebba could only find the crossbar.
The visitors too made some forays into their rival's citadel but these moves hardly grew into threats because their players, particularly in the second half failed to hang on to the ball after reaching the opponent territory.
In the second half, SBT players pressed hard for the equaliser but the hosts succeeded in keeping them at bay and managed to hang on to the lead till the long hooter.
After the match, N N Najeeb, coach of SBT said that he was disappointed with the outcome.
"Though the boys played a good game, ultimately it was the result which decide the match. All the players played well (individually) but could not get the desired result."
On the other hand, Sukhwinder Singh, JCT Mills' coach expressed happiness over the result. "What we required (early lead), we got and then we switched over to the defensive play and succeceed in our plan," he added.
JCT Mills will next take on the holders East Bengal at home on March 21.
More from rediff