Shillong, Sep 11: Bottom club Sawmer and title challengers Rangdajied United played out a goalless draw in the mud and the slush of the SSA Stadium here today.
Heavy rain today made for difficult conditions at the ground. Passes along the surface either skidded off the grass or got bogged down in the water. And high balls died as soon as they hit the turf.
Needless to say, that made shooting difficult. And many runs forward near the new stand on the far side kept getting foiled by seriously wet conditions.
While Rangdajied were dominant in the first half, it was Sawmer who really put the 2013 champions under enormous pressure in the second 45 minutes.
The earliest chance of the half fell to RUFC, however, as they earned a corner in the 49th minute. Bansharai Sun powered a first shot into a defender but he then had another chance with the rebound, though he sent this over the crossbar.
In 57th minute Reson Malngiang’s left-footer got stuck in the mud and was easily gathered by Sawmer goalkeeper Sunshine Kharmuti.
The very next minute something similar happened with Gamelial Kharlyngdoh’s attempt at the other end for Sawmer. But in the 68th minute Sawmer had a golden chance. Shaibor Nongrum passed the ball to substitute Janbor Marbaniang, who went really deep before crossing to Rapborlang Marwein, who was first blocked by a defender before his second attempt was palmed over the bar by goalie Padam Chettri.
Malngiang also had a shot with minutes left on the clock deflected by Kharmuti onto the horizontal and that was largely the story of the match – missed chances and a couple of good saves, but otherwise an evening scrap in the mud.
Tomorrow Langsning will take on Meghalaya Police at 5:30PM.
(TSR photo. Sawmer are in red, Rangdajied United in blue)
