Shillong, Nov 28: Nongrah SC avoided relegation from the Shillong Sports Association’s First Division 2024 by beating Nongkseh SC 2-1 in the last match of the season at First Ground, Polo, here today.
The earlier match saw Mawtawar SC defeat Sohryngkham SC 3-0.
Nongrah were last in the points table before today but Ksanbor Mawlong (45’+4) and Evening Tariang (81′) gave them the victory they needed to dodge the drop. Gerrard Sun (68′) was Nongkseh’s scorer.
Nongkseh finished in fourth place; in fact, Mawtawar’s earlier win meant that they couldn’t have risen any higher even if they had beaten Nongrah, who, meanwhile, ended in sixth.
Mawtawar, for their part, scored through Wallam Dkhar (50′), Risham Mumlang (80′) and Khrawkupar Nongbri (81′). They finished third, tied on 18 points with Mylliem SC, and with a better goal difference. However, Mylliem had beaten Mawtawar last week and therefore have head-to-head advantage, which is considered first before goal difference.
Mylliem and champions Malki SC will be promoted to the Shillong Premier League next year. The prize distribution ceremony will take place next week.
Meanwhile, the points table we have provided above is unofficial, as we are still waiting for the SSA to give us the official one. The delay is because there are three teams on 9 points each and one of them will be relegated along with bottom side Umphyrnai SC.
According to our reading of the SSA rules, Lawsohtun SC should be placed seventh, Mawkhar SC eighth and Sohryngkham ninth. This is because when head-to-head is considered Lawsohtun have 4 points (with victory over Mawkhar and a draw with Sohryngkham), Mawkhar 3 points (with victory over Sohryngkham) and Sohryngkham only 1 point.
It has been argued by some that head-to-head isn’t applied when three teams are tied on points but this isn’t exactly true. According to the rules, only if each team in a three-way tie has 3 points (Team A has beaten Team B, Team B has beaten Team C and Team C has beaten Team A) is head-to-head discarded and goal difference considered. This is not the case here.
However, what keeps this from being clear-cut is that the SSA rules state that this is applicable when three or more teams are tied for the top positions. However, it seems inconceivable that one rule would apply for teams at the top and another for those at the bottom. But, anyway, we await the SSA’s official points table.
