Shillong Lajong prevail over Churchill Brothers

Mapusa: Goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya`s slip up cost Churchill Brothers dear as they went down 0-1 to Shillong Lajong in their Airtel I-League match at Duler Stadium here on Tuesday.

Shillong Lajong, who were seen defending their citadel for most part of the game, scored the winner in the 71st minute through Cornell Glen, who found the loose ball that slipped from keeper Arindam`s hands, and went into the net. Although Churchill Brothers maintained the ball possession throughout the match and created good scoring chances, their strikers failed to deliver. The win takes Shillong Lajong to third place with 20 points from 13 matches, whereas Churchill Brothers remained at the bottom with seven points from 12 outings. Churchill Brothers, the defending champions, made five changes from their last match. Despite the ball possession for considerable time, the visiting team keeper Lultuammawia Ralte denied Balwant Singh from scoring. Balwant, who gave good account upfront, was unlucky to see his shot hit the bar in the first half. On the other hand, Shillong Lajong could not create much of?the impact on the home team`s goal post as their two foreigners are nursing injuries. Cornell Glen, who was back after recovering from an injury, failed to produce any impact upfront. The only time they came close to scoring a goal in the first half was when Boithang Haokip`s cross was well collected by keeper Arindam. Churchill Brothers were on the prowl in the second half in search of the goal but the rival defence put up tight resistance. Lenny Rodrigues, who led the attack from the middle, once again set up Binesh Balan with a cross but the latter`s shot was blocked by keeper Ralte in the 54th minute. With Churchill Brothers pressing hard in search of a goal, it was the visitors who found the net in the 71st minute after surviving two close chances, when the ball fell off from the hands of Arindam, and Glen Cornell grabbed the opportunity by taking the ball away from him and slotting it into the net.