St. Paul’s come out 3-0 winners against under fire Naval Dockyard F.C.

by Balbir Singh November 20, 2015

On November 20, 2015 at St. Xavier’s Ground, Parel, Mumbai, St. Paul’s ran-out comfortable 3-0 winners against Naval Dockyard F.C. in Mumbai District Football Association Division I match. By the time referee Siddhesh Surivastan blew the full-time whistle, St. Paul’s two key-players were out injured, their coach wasn’t present inside the technical area, but in the stands; a result of continuous protests against the decisions taken by the match officials. Number 16 Parag Mhative opened the scoring at 23 minutes, Marshal Francis – who has now scored 6 goals in the last 5 games this season – gave St. Paul a much needed second-goal on 67 minutes and number 10, Sahil Hate wrapped-up the win for St. Paul.

As the score-line denoted, St. Paul’s were comfortable winners in the end, but the cost of the win was probably the most in the 3 wins they’ve this season so far. The match was rough and free-flowing attacking football – a treat for almost every spectator who has witnessed to a Mumbai District Football Association (M.D.F.A.) match.

The first-chance for created by St. Paul after a surging-run down the right-flank by Jacob Jacques, but couldn’t find a teammate inside the box. The goal came in the 23^rd minute when Parag Mhative hit the ball with a measure of perfection into the right bottom corner from the (left-)edge of the penalty area as the goalkeeper stood its ground.

As the match progressed, in the first-half Naval Dockyard F.C. were gifted with a lot of space down the flank as the St. Paul’s wingers were hesitant to trackback timely, which frustrated their coach, who was an ever-present figure on the side-lines. Naval Dockyard F.C. couldn’t convert any of their chances as they demonstrated a poor display in front of goal. Naval Dockyard F.C missed a handful of genuine goal-scoring chances, which could’ve turned the game going into the second-half.

Marshal Francis, having earlier missed in a 1v1 opportunity to score in the first-half, the inform St. Paul number 9 scored midway through the second-half to give his side a two goal cushion. He was being criticized by his coach during the half-time team-talk that he is creating difficulties by running into opposition bodies and rather he should concentrate on his finishing, and that’s what he exactly did with a venomous strike in the left-corner of the goal giving the Naval Dockyard F.C. goalkeeper no chance to save.

A controversial decision came when number 30 Chetan Jagnade was recklessly tackled by a Naval Dockyard F.C. but he referee decided to not send off the player; to which the whole St. Paul technical area irrupted in anger.

As the game reached its climax, St. Paul’s wrapped-up the game when number 10 Sahil Hate finished a low-cross by Parag Mhative with a calm and composed finish in the box inside the left hand post. As the match reach fullt-time, Naval Dockyard F.C. came closer tha never first with Rohit Varma nad later Akshay Jhadav, but couldn’t produce a single shot on target.

The St. Paul’s coach describes as “one of the poorest” referred games, ultimately ended in his side’s favor making them take another step in their pursuit to qualify from the group.