SHILLONG: India international Jackichand Singh’s brilliance was not enough to ensure a victory for Royal Wahingdoh FC who had to be content with a 1-1 draw against Bharat FC during a Hero I-League match at the JN Stadium here on Saturday.
The hosts dominated much of the proceedings but conceded with just five minutes left on the clock.
Livewire Jackichand Singh, who was brilliant throughout on Saturday, put the hosts ahead in the 32nd minute. However, his strike was cancelled out by Kris Bright as late as the 85th minute against the run of play to deny full three points to the Royals.
The draw leaves Royal Wahingdoh in 4th place with 14 points while Bharat FC are at the 8th place with 9 points.
It was but a hard earned draw for the visitors who were under severe pressure for most part of the game. Apart from Jacki, Bekay Bawar, Densill Theobald and Naoba Singh registered a decent show on the pitch.
The Royals were on top during the initial exchanges and round about the 15th minute a charging Bawar was brought down inside the box. Appeals for a penalty, however, fell on deaf years. Bawar continued with his aggressive intent and raced into the opposition box again in the 31st minute. His effort though, went just over the bar.
The Royals were in firm control of the game by the half-hour mark and seized the momentum to go ahead a minute later. Jackichand Singh, who featured in the Indian national team that beat Nepal 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier match recently, latched onto a cross from the left on the edge of the box and dispatched his shot into the back of the net with help from the crossbar to give his side the lead. Wahingdoh were relentless thereafter as Bekay moved into shooting position again in the 38th minute but this time too his effort went over the bar.
Crossing over Jacki continued with his good run and almost doubled the lead in the 66th minute when his powerful shot from the edge of the box on the left hit the crossbar missing the nets by a whisker.
The Royals made a series of raids in the opposition half in the middle of the second half but their failure to add to the tally kept the visitors in the hunt. Despite the good show, Wahingdoh had to settle for a point after Bharat FC’s Bright equalised for his side in the 85th minute. Unfortunately, both sides were reduced to 10-men after a tussle on the pitch as RWFC’s Loveday and Bharat FC’s Robert Hassel were given marching orders by the referee during stoppage time.