Santosh Trophy: Raleng scores hat-trick as Services thump Bengal 4-1

Powered by S Raleng's hat-trick, Services on Thursday thumped Bengal 4-1 to qualify for the Santosh Trophy National football championship final after a 39-year hiatus.

Services, who last qualified for final in 1969, took the lead in the 22nd minute against the run of the play through their prolific striker Raleng, who pounced on a rebound after teammate Shaji D'Silva's attempt had been blocked by a Bengal defender.

Services could have gone 3-0 up in the first half, but D'Silva missed two chances in as many minutes -- first in the 24th, when he shot over a Lal Rautafeal cross from the right flank and then in the following minute he shot wide.

Services dominated the first session as the game was largely played in the Bengal half and they went to the
breather with 1-0 lead.

Although Bengal came out with purpose in the second half, the all-important equaliser seemed to elude them.

In the 48th minute, Bengal striker Syed Rahim Nabi came agonisingly close to levelling the scores but his header from a Gauranga Dutta cross went inches wide. 

Throughout the match, the Bengal players played in bits and pieces. Desperate for an equaliser, Bengal coach Krishnendu Roy introduced strikers Asim Das and Shankar Oaraon and his move nearly paid off.

In the 75th minute, Das' first touch nearly brought the equaliser but the ball sailed inches over the bar.

However, four minutes later, Norgam Lama stunned the Bengal team by producing in what can be termed as goal of the tournament.

Lama produced stunner of a freekick from 25 yards which curled away from the Bengal custodian Abhra Mondal into the back of the net to give Services a 2-0 lead.

Bengal, however, pulled one back through Lal Kamal Bhowmik a minute later.

With less then 10 minutes remaining, Bengal strikers went for an all-out attack but their hopes of dragging the game into extra time were dashed by Raleng, who scored two more goals in the 89th minute and in the additional time to hit the final nail in the Bengal coffin.

Raleng, who scored the second hat-trick of the tournament on Thursday, leads the tally with 13 goals against his name.

In the final on Sunday, Services will take on the winner of Friday's other semifinal match between defending champions Punjab and Karnataka.