Mohammedan Sporting rode on an opening half blitz to surprise JCT Mills, Phagwara, 3-1 in an eighth National Football League match in Kolkata on Monday.
Syed Rahim Nabi scored a brace while Dipendu Biswas struck once as the local outfit went ahead 3-0 within the first 19 minutes at the Howrah Municipal stadium.
JCT, who had scored back to back wins over Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan and Tollygunje Agragami in the last three games, were done in by the lack of coordination between their medios and the forward line. The midfielders were the main culprits, as they failed to strike up and understanding with their strikers.
Though Jo Paul Anchery pulled one back for the visitors in the second half, their fate was already sealed.
After 11 games, Mohammedan Sporting have nine points, while JCT 18.
Sporting drew first blood as early as the fifth minute when Abu Bakr Godwin's indirect free-kick reached Biswas inside the box, and the latter fed Nabi with a nice side flick. Nabi kept his cool and let loose a firm left footer into the goal.
The local side continued to raid the rival territory and increased the lead nine minutes later through a penalty which was awarded after JCT defender Jagjit Randhawa tripped an onrushing Biswas inside the box. Biswas had little difficulty in netting the setpiece, which went in off the hands of JCT custodian Mansuru Mohammed.
Biswas, operating from a withdrawal position, was the fulcrum of the Sporting raids, as he manoeuvered well to create panic in the JCT defence, particularly in the first-half.
Sporting boosted their goal kitty in the 19th minute, capitalising on a misunderstanding between JCT defender Randhawa and goalkeeper Mansuru. A loose ball from the left came to Nabi and the two JCT players remained stranded, each thinking that the other will intercept, allowing the forward to place home virtually unchallenged.
In addition to conceding three goals within a space of 14 minutes, JCT's woes worsened in the middle of the half when veteran striker I M Vijayan had to be replaced due to injury.
Sporting, on the other hand, took matters lightly in the second half, though Nabi came close to scoring in the early minutes.
JCT, however, narrowed the margin in the 78th minute, when referee M K Roy pulled up Godwin for a handball inside the box. Ancheri made no mistake in scoring from the easiest of dead ball situations.
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