Gauhati Town Club striker Mithun Garh (right) celebrates after scoring the second goal for his side against NF Railway at Nehru Stadium on Thursday. Picture by Biju Boro

Guwahati, July 29: After an uninspired showing in 2003 and an equally lacklustre beginning to the ongoing Guwahati Sports Association Super League, Gauhati Town Club today gave glimpses of their old glory at the Nehru Stadium here.

The team marked a return to form with a 2-2 draw against Northeast Frontier Railway in a first leg match of the Super League.

The former champions took to the field today as underdogs with not a single point from their two earlier outings in the league. However, they managed to secure one point.

The comparatively younger Town Club boys made better use of the uneven ground condition.

Town Club forward Bhaskar Bora drew first blood in the 27th minute when he successfully converted a sitter.

The Railway keeper Bijoy Sonowal stepped out of the goal box to stop a charging Bora who dodged the custodian and sent the ball into the nets, triggering off celebrations on the substitute bench.

However, the celebrations were shortlived. The railway equaliser came just two minutes later when a long ranger by Sibendra Goyari from outside the penalty area dipped into the net inches below the crossbar.

The Town Club boys, who started on a defensive note, soon reverted to a stout offence in order to keep the Railmen out of their danger zone.

The attacking game paid off for the Town Club when Mithun Garh found the net off a Madan Kachari pass during a goalmouth tussle four minutes from the breather.

Trailing 1-2, the Railway side upped the ante in the second half. Their efforts bore fruit through a counter-offensive in the 75th minute. It was Sibendra again who came to his team’s rescue. He sent an accurate pass from the left flank which was deflected by substitute Munna Chetri into the goal.

Gauhati Town Club should have won the match by a 3-2 margin, but a shot by Bhaskar Bora off a minus from Mahabir Ekka flew inches over the crossbar.

After today’s match, NF Railway lead the points tally with seven points from three matches. Close on their heels are Dynamo with six points.

Defending champions ASEB SC and last year’s runners-up Assam Police Blues are in the third place with four points each from two matches. Jewel Star Club are on three points from as many matches. Maharana AC and Young Amateur Club are yet to open their accounts.

THE TEAMS:

NF Railway: Bijoy Sonowal (goalkeeper), Akash Basumatary, Sushanta Majumdar, Janak Basumatary, Bhupal Daimary, Sibendra Goyari, Ashok Ramchiary, Achinath Langthasa,

Duleswar Rabha, Tapash Sinha, Thagit Sonowal, K.B. Singh (goalkeeper), Munna Chetri, Gum Bahadur Chetri, Ranjan Debbarma, K.K. Singh.

Gauhati Town Club: Parikshit Saikia (goalkeeper), Ripu Gogoi, Ramesh Boro, Umesh Deowri, Bani Kanta Baruah, Ujjal Nath, Probin Boro, Madan Kachari, Bhaskar Bora, Mithun Garh, Mahabir Ekka, Ankur Saikia (goalkeeper), Lucky Baruah, Achini Ramchiary, Maniraj Basumatary, John Rai, Bipul Rabha and Bijoy Ramchiary.