Kathmandu, January 21:

Manang Marsyangi Club (MMC) and Gyanendra Armed Police Force (APF) Officers’ Club played a goalless draw while Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) defeated relegation-threatened Boys’ Union Club (BUC) 3-1 in the Martyrs’ Memorial San Miguel ‘A’ Division League Football Tournament here at Dasharath Stadium today.

New Road Team (NRT) registered a convincing 4-1 win over another relegation threatened Bouddha football Club (BFC) at the APF ground in Halchowk.

Rajan Gauchan struck twice and Ajit Thapa netted one for RCT while Abiodun G Lawal scored for BUC. Sunil Subedi got two goals while Yugal Kishore Rai and Jeevan Sinkeman netted one each for NRT. Pradip Kunwar scored a consolation goal for the BFC.

In the first match, Rajan Gauchan headed home on Ajit Thapa’ corner kick to put RCT ahead in the 11th minute. Gauchan’s header crossed the goalline taking slight deflection of BUC defender Binay Chaudhary.

Gauchan doubled the lead in the 54th minute as he beat the offside trap almost from the midfield before firing past BUC goalie Bishnu Tamang. Ajit Thapa added another a minute later on Gauchan’s pass. BUC pulled one back in the 58th minute when Lawal scored onto the top cross bar after Bhupen Lama delivered a corner kick and Mark D Afam flicked him the header.

Despite the win, RCT coach Baiju Kapali said that his team did not play as expected. “Our opponent played much better than us,” he said. BUC coach Rajendra KC said that he was hoping to earn a point.

At Halchowk, Sunil Subedi gave NRT the lead in the 11th minute but Pradip Kunwar equalised for BFC in the 56th minute following a pass from Ranjit Lama.

Yugal Kishor Rai put NRT in front again scoring off Jeevan Sinkeman’s pass in the 77th minute. Sinkeman then added another in the 81st minute after Subedi provided him a beautiful pass. Subedi scored the fourth goal five minutes before time capitalising on a defensive error.

Milan Tamang of BFC was sent off in the 83rd minute after he earned the second yellow card of the match.

Bouddha sack Pokhara players

KATHMANDU: Bouddha Football Club (BFC), which is almost certain to be relegated with seven points from 20 matches, sent back six players to Pokhara on Friday. BFC had brought five players — Gopal Thapa, Anil Gurung, Bishnu KC, Naresh Khattri and Suraj Gurung — from Sahara Club of Pokhara in a bid to survive in the ‘A’ Division in their debut year. Dipendra Tamang was the other Pokhara-based player who was sent back. BFC coach Arjun Lama denied to comment about the players sacking. “I will speak about the players only after the league.”— HNS

Today’s matches

At Dasharath Stadium

• JYC vs Machhindra @ 12:30 pm

• MPC vs BBC @ 2:30 pm

At Halchowk Ground

• Friends’ vs Mahabir @ 12:30 pm