Jewel Star Club (in blue) players in a goalmouth tussle with the Maharana men at Nehru Stadium in Guwahati on Monday. Picture by UB Photos

Super division league

Guwahati, Sept. 5: Maharana Athletic Club faces the prospect of being relegated to the lower division after going down 1-2 to Jewel Star Club in a second-leg match of the ongoing Guwahati Super Division here.

Despite meeting a second string Jewel Star outfit, the Maharana men were off- colour throughout the match at the Nehru Stadium today.

The Jewel Star side rested their mainstay forwards Rahajuddin Ahmed, Utpal Das, Rajeswar Das and Raman Singh Brahma and goalkeeper Richard Choudhury on the substitute bench today, apparently giving an opportunity to Maharana AC to earn three points with a win.

However, the Maharana men failed to cash in on the opportunity.

Jewel Star rode a brace by Engenus Bhengra to gain the lead early in the match. Bhengra struck first in the fourth minute with a solo effort from the midfield to beat Maharana custodian Mantu Nirmalia with a long ranger into the net. He pumped in the second in the 20th minute off a pass across a wall for a freekick.

Maharana?s Jalpaiguri recruit Hari Kherwar fired in the only salvo in the 76th minute, a minute after the opponents were reduced to a 10-man side.

Referee Akhtar Hussain gave marching orders to Jewel Star defender Bipul Gandhiya for dangerous play against Kherwar.

Maharana, who have only one point in their kitty and an additional three from the match against NF Railway who have conceded the match, will now have to win against Gauhati Town Club on September 10 to survive relegation.

However, if Gauhati Town Club manage a win against Jewel Star on September 8, the match against Maharana will become insignificant and Maharana?s relegation from the elite league will be imminent.

In tomorrow?s upper pool match, last year?s runners-up Assam State Electricity Board will meet Sports Authority of India SC.