Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: A fine treble from Clencio Pinto ensured Churchill Brothers FC register a comfortable 4-0 win over Calangute Association in the Goa Football Association Goa Professional League Match at Nagoa VP ground, on Tuesday.
Clencio Pinto (48’, 51’ & 56’) scored a fine hat-trick while Shubert Pereira (64’) scored the fourth goal for the Varca-based team.
It was a tale of two halves for Clencio as the striker missed couple of sitters with just the keeper at his mercy in the first session and then went on to score three good strikes in the second session.
Calangute Association started the match cautiously and relied only on counters while Churchill Brothers pressed from all ends. However the sides couldn’t break the deadlock in the first session.
In the 40th minute, Churchill Brothers’ Shubert Pereria was tripped just outside the box but the Red Machines failed to make the best of the opportunity as Suresh Meitei shot wide from the freekick. They should have done better.
Calangute Association did create problems for Churchill Brothers as former Dempo SC Academy player Vineet Bugde playing on the right flank, used his pace and physicality to time and again break into opposition territory.
Minutes before the breather, Wendell Coelho created a goal scoring opportunity for Churchill Brothers as he played a good delivery in the box to Clencio Pinto, but before the striker could connect to the ball, Calangute Association defender cleared the ball to safety.
Churchill Brothers almost took the lead when Fredson Marshall’s delivery in the box was met by Kivi, but the last man’s header went straight to the keeper, who had no trouble in handling it. Had it been, a yard either side of him, it should have put Churchill Brothers ahead in the game.
Churchill Brothers missed yet another chance when Clencio Pinto, on winning the ball from Calangute Association in the midfield, dribbled past couple of defenders and lashed in a delivery in the box from the right, but unfortunately, Kivi failed to capitalize on it with just the keeper.
The Red Machines started the second half with more attacking intent. Churchill Brothers scored soon after restart as Clencio Pinto, on receiving a loose ball in the midfield, cut past a rival player and slammed from a distance, which had no answer from the rival keeper to give his side the lead.
Clencio Pinto, soon made it 2-0 scoring from close after being fed by Duata from the right.
It was one way traffic as the game was then seen being played in the Calangute Association territory. Things turned from bad to worse for Calangute.
A goalkeeper howler from Calangute Association Sanij saw him gift the third to Churchill. Sanij delayed in clearing a backpass from Calangute defender and Churchill Brothers’ Clencio Pinto pounced on the opportunity and disposed him to score the third and complete his hat-trick.
The Red Machines took the momentum to their advantage and scored yet another goal. Clencio Pinto combined with Shubert Pereira for the fourth as the last man ran diagonal on the left flank and finished with a sublime left footer to make it 4-0.
Churchill Brothers took total control of the game maintaining ball possession but despite playing a slow paced game they were the better team on the field. Calangute looked morally down after conceding four goals in the second session saw them further play more deep in their own territory.
