Shillong, May 12: Nongrim Hills won their last match 3-1 against Smit in the Shillong Sports Association’s First Division at Third Ground, Polo, here today.
Nongrim Hills needed to win this match to keep their hopes of promotion to next season’s Shillong Premier League alive. They now have 13 points.
Sawmer and Nongthymmai have 12 points each but the former are in front in the standings on head-to-head. They each have a game remaining.
Today Bankit Nongrum put Nongrim in front in only the second minute with Phibankhraw Nongkhlaw making it 2-0 in the 23rd minute. Bankit is now responsible for the two fastest goals of the season, having scored in the third minute in the previous outing against Sawmer. Phibankhraw, meanwhile, has now scored in three of the last four matches for Nongrim Hills.
Smit, who have had a terrible season, then gave their opponents a bit of a fright after Shankupar Kharbyngar (61’) scored Smit’s first goal of the season with a header off a cross.
Nongrim, however, restored their two-goal margin with a 73rd minute Banshemphang Kurbah goal, who promptly received a yellow card for taking off his shirt in celebration.
Smit and Imson are to be relegated to next year’s Second Division, unless the SSA scraps relegation this season, as it has already done for the Third Division.
Tomorrow’s fixture:
First Division – Nongthymmai vs Umphyrnai, 3:30PM
