Salgaocar’s skillful Felix Chimaokwu was on the prowl but Mahindra goalkeeper, Sandip Nandy stood tall under the bar. In the 23rd minute, Steven Dias had a unsuccessful try at the Salgaocar goal, but the next minute, in a counter-attack Malsawmtlunga Syhlo (Mama) ran with the ball from the half-line beating the Mahindra central defender NP Pradeep and managed to find the corner of the net. Though Nandy stretched out, his effort was a little late in stopping the onrushing medio, who put Salgaocar 1-0 in the lead.

After having stunned the Mahindra defence, the visitors did not relax and kept looking for another goal. But the jeepmen also did not give up. In the 31st minute, off Steven Dias’s corner-kick, NP Pradeep’s header touched the horizontal bar and rolled over .

Mahindra coach Derrick Pereira’s quick thinking was rewarded when he substituted Bhola Prasad with Sushil Kumar. As soon as Kumar entered the field, he won a spot kick for his side as he was brought down inside the box. Mohammed Rafi made no mistake in converting the goal and thus restoring parity at 1-1 for the hosts.

They came back stronger, but Salgaocar was not left behind in the desire to win. In the 59th minute, Mama had another chance of putting his side in the lead, but was too square and the jeepmen’s defender, Belo Rasaq was there to clear the ball.

Pereira again was rewarded for bringing in the young and upcoming Thoi Singh in place of Mohd Rafi. The very next minute Sushil Kumar sent the ball into the box, but the Salgaocar custodian Milagrio Medeira only pushed the ball not too far from Thoi, who completed the formality of slotting the ball in for the goal in the 63rd minute.

But the jeepmen’s joy was short-lived as Mama, anticipating Felix’s cross from the left, ran towards the goal and score the equaliser 2-2, leaving the Mahindra defence looking shell-shocked.

In the extra time too, the local Red Devils had their chances but they failed to deliver. Pradeep’s header off Steven Dias’ free-kick missed the goal by a whisker and his following corner-kick was wasted by the Ghanaian, Andrews Mensah, who failed to deliver in the entire match.

Quite obviously Pereira expressed his disappointment with the result and said, “We could have taken three points and moved up as this match was important for us.” Blaming it on the uncertainty of the game he added: “But that’s football.”

Pereira’s woes with the strikers’ poor strike rate continued. “Our forwards could have taken chances. They (Salgaocar) were lying low on the table and were morally down. We should have taken advantage of their situation.”

But he did not fail to mention that there were two fine goals from Mama that helped the opposition. “We should have held on the lead for at least two-three minutes,” added Pereira, who also pointed out that his key defender K Ajayan was missed in the match. “We were settling in the defence when his injury happened, which was a set back for the team.”

Salgaocar coach Savio Medeira said: “The match was not bad. But I would have preferred three points. We have been playing well in the last 15 matches. The boys are trying, but the lack of concentration in the defence is not helping us.”