MUMBAI, November 11: Indian Bank (Chennai) remained firmly on course for a quarter-final berth of the Bristol Rovers Cup football tournament, overturning an early deficit to finish comprehensive 3-1 (half-time 1-1) victors over local side Mahindras at the Cooperage today.

However, Sesa Sports Club (Goa) kept the qualifying race in the pre-quarter-final Group A league well and truly alive with a thumping 3-0 (half-time 1-0) victory Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB), later in the evening.

A fourth-minute goal by Andrew Louis appeared too good to be true for Mahindras who are struggling to come to terms with themselves. Ninety minutes later, the Mumbai outfit struggled to keep a rout, and a fired-up Syed Sabir Pasha, at bay.

Karunakar Raj, the evergreen Bobby Hamilton and Pasha conjured up victory for the bankmen that made Louis' strike a distant memory.

Sesa's resounding win over PSEB under floodlights now sets up a crucial encounter against Indian Bank on Thursday -- a match the Goans must win to steal a march on the Chennai side on goal difference.

Kamal Sulimen struck in the first half to open the scoring, with the profusely talented Alvito D'Cunha adding two after the change of ends.Mahindras, thanks to a surprising 1-0 win over Sesa in the opener, have all but made their exit. The Mumbai side retain a theoretical chance should they pile on the goals against PSEB and Indian Bank lose to Sesa.

It continued to rain goals at the 97th edition of the Cup. As many as eighteen in six matches over the first three days average three per match and has done much to whet the appetite of keen quarter-final battles ahead.Louis sustained the goal feast, seconds after livewire Herbert Philip went close with the teams yet to settle in.

Ramesh Razak sent a long ball into the area and Khalid Siddique headed down for Louis to beat a crowded defence from an acute angle.

Indian Bank, 2-1 winners over PSEB in their first match, looked listless until Raj blasted in the equaliser after 36 minutes.

The Bank striker found the gap between Gumpe Rime and the near post, shooting on the run from the right edge of the box.

Mahindras flagged in resolve after the goal and Indian Bank with Hamilton in charge, took control.

A 51st minute free-kick, courtesy Razak's objectionable challenge on Raj, gave the Chennai side a deserved lead. Hamilton, in his element, swerved the ball past a helpless Rime in goal.

After Razak set up Philip with a chance in the 64th minute, Mahindras' goal-scoring prospects faded into oblivion. For the Bank, the bustling Selvakumar's advent in place of Merilyn Kamalas in the 61st minute, seemed to bring an hitherto quiet Pasha into familiar rhythm.

Both strikers went close, Pasha drawing the cheers with a couple of blistering runs.

But it was only in the 81st minute that the Mahindras' goal fell again. Pasha, inevitably, leaving George Fernandes and substitute Sushanta Mazumdar transfixed before his itchy left-foot found the far corner of Rime's goal.

SESA SAIL: Alvito D'Cunha had a hand in each of his side's goals today, making the first with a cross that African Suliman did well to head down and blast into the goal amid frenetic action in front of the PSEB goalmouth.

D'Cunha then struck a post nearing half-time before Sesa, going for the jugular with goal difference in mind, ran PSEB ragged after the interval.

D'Cunha, though, was not to be denied, scoring a goal out of nothing from Premanand Gadecar's pass. A firm shot from 30 yards bounced past Jatinder Singh, taking the bar before entering the goal in the 54th minute.

After Gurdish Singh struck a post, Alvito struck an important third for the Goans with another long-ranger.

Wednesday's fixtures: 4 p.m. State Bank of Travancore vs Murmugao Port Trust, Goa; 6 p.m. Central Railway, Mumbai vs Tata Football Academy, Jamshedpur.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.