Tolly-BSF in dull, drab draw

Tolly-BSF in dull, drab draw
SAIBAL BOSE

CALCUTTA, MARCH 8: When nothing is at stake, things tend to get a bit drab. That was what happened in Wednesday's National Football League (NFL) match at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium here. Tollygunge Aggragami and Border Security Force (BSF) had nothing to play for and it was evident in their body language. It was clear that the players were just performaning a routine duty. Sluggish movements on the field and meaningless moves which meant little to either team. After a barren 90 minutes, when the referee blew the long whistle, it was relief all around.

BSF never really had any stake in this National League. Right from the beginning, they have just been filling up the numbers. They have a stunning victory over Mahindras apart from their two wins over bottom-placed Dempo. Three wins, four draws and a total of 13 points.

However, looking at Wednesday's match from another angle, BSF did have a big stake. They are placed 11th in the standings and are firmly set for relegation. A win would have put them above ITI and they would have kept their chances of remaining in the NFL main event next season alive.

That wasn't to be as BSF preferred wayward long-rangers to meaningful moves. Tollygunge were no better and hardly challenged the BSF goalkeeper Bibhas Saha. His namesake at the other end, Bivash Ghosh, was challenged once in the first half. A Tapan Bhattacharya long-ranger threatened to curve into the Tollygunge goal, but ultuimately, sailed past harmlessly.

There was more to write in the second half. Tollygunge substitute Srikanta Dutta put Abayomi Felix through in the 53rd minute, but the Nigerian punched straight at Saha. Jayanta Sen's attempt off the rebound was wide.

Later, BSF forward DS Negi had two chances to put his team ahead. However, a header off a Sane Lama flag-kick went over the cross-piece and another attempt at the Tollygunge goalmouth was pushed out of harm's way.