JCT F C took a giant step forward towards propelling themselves away from the relegation zone by scripting a comfortable 2-0 victory over Mohammedan Sporting in a 10th round National Football League match at the Cooperage in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Both goals came in the first half.
Medio Baldeep Singh put the Phagwara side in the lead in the ninth minute when he bulged the net off a corner kick taken by the evergreen Rennedy Singh.
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Livewire striker Sunil Chettri consolidated the lead when he converted a spot kick in the 43rd minute after goalkeeper Gopal Das seemingly brought down rival striker Chidi Edeh in the danger zone after the Nigerian had outsprinted the defence.
Das collected a yellow card in the bargain from Goan referee Jayendra Nagvenkar.
It was sweet revenge for the Punjab lads, who had lost the opening encounter to the Kolkata side 1-2 in New Delhi.
Today's match didn't rise to great heights as a spectacle although the winners came by the greater share of chances and exercised a fair degree of control over the proceedings.
Chettri could have increased his personal tally as he struck the crossbar twice and once flicked the ball wide with Das out of position.
The black & wide brigade enjoyed a slight resurgence in the second session and substitute Harvinder Singh struck the upright with a fierce drive three minutes from resumption.
A few minutes later, Ndem Guy was denied after Kalyan Chaubey parried a sizzling volley for a corner kick. The Biswajeet Bhattacharjee-coached side did threaten on a few more occasions but could not get another clear look at the rival goal.
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