Shillong, Aug 27: Meghalaya Police moved back into third place in the Shillong Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Sawmer at the JN Stadium here today.
Lalramtara Ngamlai put MLP into the lead in first half stoppage time before substitute Niwan-o Gatphoh doubled the cops’ lead in the 62nd minute. Sawmer fought back hard, however, but were only able to find one goal, scored by Shaibor Nongrum in the 90th minute. Nongrum’s goal was the 50th of the season.
MLP now have seven points, one more than Shillong Lajong, who drop into fourth place. Sawmer stay at the bottom of the seven-team league with one point.
Over the course of the match Sawmer took plenty of shots on goal, most of which were on target, but too many were tame attempts that never challenged MLP goalkeeper Kenio Lyngkhoi.
The police dominated proceedings in the first half and finally found the breakthrough in the third minute of stoppage time when Tyngshainlang Rani went deep on the right and cut the ball back. Then, Ngamlai in one fluid motion trapped it, spun round and fired it into the top corner of the net.
In the second half and just five minutes after coming on as a substitute Gatphoh scored. Raja Shadap smacked a long ball forward that was headed up into the air by Marshall Nongrum. Ngamlai volleyed it forward for a sprinting Gatphoh, who raced past the defensive line and scored low with a left-footer.
Possession was still largely in MLP’s favour at this point, but it swung in Sawmer’s favour as the boys in red tried to get themselves back into the contest.
They were given a sliver of hope in the 90th minute when Justerwell Tham chipped the ball diagonally forward for Bankyrshan L Mawphlang, who gathered it, went into the box and passed right. The resulting shot from one of his team mate’s was blocked by Lyngkhoi, but the rebound was tapped in by Shaibor.
Three minutes of stoppage time followed, but there was nothing more Sawmer could do and they were consigned to their fourth defeat in five games.
On Wednesday Nangkiew Irat will take on Lajong at 3:45PM.
(TSR photo. Sawmer are in red, Meghalaya Police in black)
