Well executed moves brought Air-India victory. And even if the pictures from France '98 confine the happenings at the Cooperage to a remote obscure world of football, the motley gathering left the venue with something to shout about.

The airmen, coming back splendidly in the second half, spent a glum interval after defender Ajay Acharya's own goal in the 43rd minute.

The defending champions lifted their game a notch or two after the change of ends. Amid the pressure they exerted, two neat moves pieced together by hard-running substitute Suresh Tigga, Godfrey Pereira and Fernandes enabled the National Football League side strike paydirt.

They left it late, though. Fernandes drew parity in the 78th minute from Tigga's cross from the right after international Pereira split the field.Air-India then struck the killerblow three minutes later, with a slight change of sequence.

Tigga covering acres of space with a sprightly run from his own defence relayed to Pereira. The seasoned campaigner, somewhat subdued in recent times, accelerated to leave defender Alliudin for dead. He pulled it back from the goalline to present Fernandes the chance on a platter.

Air-India dominated the first half but Ajay Acharaya's generosity put them a goal behind. A cross from Samshi Raza had the hapless defender heading the ball into his own net with 'keeper Ansari well up.

Mahindras brought in Santosh Kashyap for Khalid Siddique and the veteran mid-fielder threatened at corners. He very nearly buried the match in the 55th minute with a 25-yard volley that struck the bar.

After goalkeeper Yusuf Ansari's gutsy show at the expense of a bruised face saved his side from going two down, Air-India grabbed the match by the scruff.

Other results: Div I: Companeroes 4 (Savio Fernandes, Ganesh Ramusade, Viren Rasquinha, Vikram D'Souza)bt Good Shepherd (Gregory Rodrigues).

Goans SA Ground: Div II: Fatima SC bt YMCA 5-0. Div I: Ralph SC bt Rly Protection Force 2-0.