EB defeats Telegraph 1-0

Kolkata, Aug 22 (UNI) Kingfisher East Bengal put behind the big match blues and beat George Telegraph 1-0 in the Kolkata Premier League match at home today.

Asim Biswas scored the winning goal in the eighth minute from a Dipankar Roy freekick.

Biswas rose above his marker Eric Mputu to head the ball home from a goal-mouth melee.

The win ensured East Bengal move to 15 points from six matches, one point shy off league leader Mohun Bagan.

Having conceded four goals against Bagan in the last match, it was not easy for the red-and-golds to regroup straightaway.

Deplorable ground condition made their task all the more difficult.

Still the players, led by man-of-the-match Jayanta Sen, showed stomach for fight. They should have won by a bigger margin, but Edmilson Marques and Biswas missed a couple of sitters, making the match look closer than it was.

George were very subdued to start with. They tried to force the pace only after their Nigerian striker Nuruddin Salu came into the field. Still, they hardly posed any threat to the opposition defence.

East Bengal, on the other hand, took it a wee bit casually after the early goal.

Poor officiating made the matter worse. Referee Dhanapati Roy was never close to the ball and some of his decisions defied reasons of soccer.

On one occasion, when East Bengal deserved a penalty, Roy ignored the claim. He booked Edmilson instead.

UNI