The Goan outfit, finishing worthy I-League runners-up this season with Dempo SC winning the title, also showed that there is a remarkably difference between a team that is runner-up and a side that finished much lower in the fourth position in the I-League (read: Mohun Bagan).

One may have trouble getting the name of Robert Lalthlamuana right, but no one had any problems with the player’s goal in today’s match, which came in the 31st minute. Robert’s rock-solid 25-yard left-footer got the better of a diving Sangram Mukherjee, and found the back of the net after faintly deflecting off Mohun Bagan defender NS Manju.

On any other, Churchill Brothers would have made the scoreline read 3-0, given the way they dominated throughout the day’s play. Much of the credit from Mohun Bagan’s point of view should go to custodian Mukherjee, who warded off Chandan Chitra Singh’s right-footer from the spot-kick, earned after Kalu Nana Ogba was brought down by the Bagan goalkeeper inside the box in the 40th minute. On another occassion, Manju effected a goal-line save off a threatening Mboyo Iyomi header in the 61st minute.

These foiled chances apart, the Goan outfit, having splited the Mohun Bagan defence and midfield several times during the course of the match, got hold of some more half chances in both the sessions.

But Kalu Ogba, the Nigerian attacking midfielder who had an impressive show as a second striker beside Iyomi today, as well as Iyomi himself, failed to convert those chances.

Churchill’s command over the proceedings kept increasing steadily as the match progressed. Churchill’s young boys were so speedy both with and off-the-ball that Mohun Bagan’s midfield organisation looked suspect and volatile.

Churchill’s young brigade forced the opposition to struggle in trying to soak in persistent strain and cracked the opposition’s resistence far too frequently for Mohun Bagan’s comfort. Looking back at today’s display, it’s high time the Mohun Bagan management seriously starts thinking of releasing players like Doulas da Silva, who were exposed today on the fitness front.

Despite the poor showing by Mohun Bagan in the IFA Shield opener, the green-and-maroon brigade broke through Churchill Brothers’ gate on three occasions today. But it was Churchill Brothers custodian Vinay Singh’s superb performance that turned out to make a huge difference.

Just seven minutes into the match, Singh warded off an excellent Venkatesh right-footer, diving to his right. Then in the 27th minute, Singh again came to the visitors’ rescue, dismissing a cunning Jose Barreto jab on the far post, diving to his left with precision.