Date:02/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/02/stories/2003040203091800.htm

Sport - Football

Titanium drubs Manipur Police

KOLKATA APRIL 1. Titanium Club, Kerala drubbed Manipur Police 4-1 in a final phase `round one' group B match of the second division National Football League at the JRD Tata Sports Complex, Jamshedpur on Tuesday, to keep itself in the hunt for a `round two' berth.

Concluding the third round league action, the Kerala team joined Mohammedan Sporting, Kolkata and Haywards Sporting Club of Goa on top of the league table with seven points. If the goal difference is considered then Titanium (scoring six and conceding two goals) will fall to the second spot behind Mohammedan Sporting which has scored six but conceded just one so far to be on top. Haywards Sporting comes third (6/4) while the rest of the three teams — Allwyn Hindustan, Delhi (3 points), Manipur Police (1) and Punjab Police (0) — have fallen far back in the contest. Titanium drew the first blood when Renjith found the target in the 10th minute. Manipur Police made a brief comeback as Gouridas Singh found the equaliser in the 30th minute. The policemen could not celebrate for long as Ebim Rose restored the lead for Titanium in the 35th minute. Titanium came back more strongly in the second session and Sameer enhanced the lead in the 50th minute while Ebim Rose rounded off the scoring with his second goal in the 88th minute.