MoM Dipendu Biswas scores one of his three goals against United SC on Thursday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta: Time was when Dipendu Biswas’ career seemed headed for a sorry end. Released from Mahindra United midway for a congenital cardiac ailment, the striker from Bengal looked to have reached the end of road.

But he had it in him to prove everyone wrong, and how!

A few days after scoring his 200th goal courtesy a lone strike against Mohammedan Sporting, the Mohun Bagan striker on Thursday turned the wheel full circle, netting in a hattrick against beleaguered Chirag United in a Premier Division match at the club ground on Thursday.

The wheel of fortune also seems to be turning for his team as the green and maroons displayed their most convincing performance so far, thrashing United SC 4-1. The win against arch-rivals East Bengal, however scratchy it may be, seems to have done them a world of good.

Not merely the fact that it was the first hattrick of the season, the way in which the Mohun Bagan captain scored the goals, should put to rest any speculation whatsoever about his fitness.

Poor United SC! They hardly knew what hit them. On a dry pitch — a welcome change — coach Biswajit Bhattacharya’s wards tore the United defence apart right from the word go.

In fact, before everyone had settled down, came the first goal. It was an early indication of what was to follow when Dharamjit Singh floated in a centre from the far right. Eduardo Coelho headed it down for Dipendu to sound the net in the eighth minute. More attacks followed.

Mohun Bagan’s backline had been vulnerable so far in this tournament, a reason why the team has had found it difficult to move up front with confidence.

But on Thursday, Eduardo took it upon himself to bear the load and the glamour side looked a metamorphosised outfit. Apart from adding to Mohun Bagan’s scoresheet with a 50-minute strike, the Brazilian played with elan.

In the 18th minute, Dharamjit, who was simply brilliant, was again the initiator. His corner initiated the second goal of the match. Dipendu headed in with immaculate precision to leave United boys with hand on their hips.

But it was truly in the second half when the match became an interesting one.

As before, the crowd was still on their feet when United’s Ashim Das, a striker who demanded notice with his sporadic runs down the middle, pierced the net with a sudden strike to make it 2-1.

Just when it seemed as if an unlikely battle for survival was on cards, Eduardo sealed the issue via a header. A curvy free-kick from Dharamjit found his head and the result. A neat little finish with no chance for Santosh Goswamy. 3-1.

P.C. Lalawmpuia was handpicked by Bhattacharya from TFA, who, according to him, “is a promising youngster”. He may be the one to watch out for in days to come. Fielded in the coach’s words “on a no man’s land position”, the TFA boy shone brightly in the midfield, creating a lot of chances for the likes of Dipendu.

The veteran striker completed his hattrick, and his teams’ fourth on the 90th, when Lalawmpuia’s corner went on the far right. From a zero angle, Dipendu acrobatically curled in a left-footer that surprised everyone, including himself, by going in. The rest, as they say, is history.

With this win, Bagan have now garnered 11 points from seven matches. United have managed seven points from as many outings.

TEAMS

Mohun Bagan: Sangram Mukherjee, Eduardo Coelho, D. Ravanan, Gautam Debnath, Dharamjit Singh (Satyajit Bose 65), Subhash Chakraborty, Chinmoy Sarkar (Suman Dutta 73), P.C. Lalawmpuia, Ndem Guy Herve, Dipendu Biswas, Ayan Chowdhury.

Chirag United: Santosh Goswamy, Madhusudhan Majumdar, Sanjay Nag, Sajal Saha, Asto Karar, Crispen Chhetry, Amandeep Singh, Gour Chankar Dutta (Narugopal Hait 53), Vanlal Maiwa (Sankho Roy Chowdhury 45), Ashim Das, Muzaffar Rahman.

Referee: Debashish Misra.

Man-of-the-Match: Dipendu Biswas.