BARASAT, KOLKATA: Tollygunge Agragami came back from behind to hold Peerless Sports Club to a 1-1 draw in their CFL Premier Division -A 2016/17 encounter here on Thursday.
Peerless went on the offensive from the start and took the lead through Anil Kisku, but Joel Sunday’s late strike denied full three points for Peerless at the Barasat Stadium in Kolkata.
The match got off to an exciting start and hardly had the fans, who were very less in number, got comfortable in their seats, Peerless shot into the lead when Anil slotted one past Kunzang Bhutia from Ghanefo Kromah’s pass in the 3rd minute.
Stunned by the early jolt, Tollygunge pressed hard to get in the match but their foreign strikers Sunday and Alfred Jaryan ran out of ideas on entering the penetrative zone of Peerless.
Peerless, meanwhile, almost doubled their lead in the 27th minute, when Kromah made his way into the Tollygunge box after recieving a delightful pass from Arijit Bagui. However, his curling effort missed the target narrowly.
At the other end, Peerless keeper Sankar Roy came with a brilliant save to put away Tollygunge skipper Surabuddin Mallick’s well executed header.
Thereafter, Tollygunge had few more half chances through Alfred and Reisangmei Vashum but Peerless defended strongly to prevent an equaliser and went into the break with 1-0 lead.
Tollygunge looked threatening after the change of ends. Four minutes into the second session they had a chance to restore parity but Santosh Oraon’s shot from inside was saved by Sankar.
Then, Phoolchand Hembrom, in the 64th minute, made a good run into the Peerless box and set up Alfred, who failed to score from handshaking distance.
After several missed chances, Tollygunge Agragami’s persistent efforts at last paid off, when Sunday tapped the ball into the net in the 81st minute, earning a a valuable point for his side.
Tollygunge Agragami will face George Telegraph next on August 2 at Barasat Stadium while Peerless lock horns with Aryan Club on July 31 at Kalyani Stadium.