New Delhi: A lot of drama was in store on the concluding day of the I-League on Wednesday as HAL’s stunning 4-2 win over Dempo Sports in Margao had a huge effect on the final standings.

For HAL, these three points meant a lot. It saved them from relegation. The axe fell on ONGC and JCT, who were unfortunate victims of the head-to-head rule in the I-League.

While ONGC were first timers in the premier division, JCT’s exit meant there would be no team from north India in the league next season. The Phagwara team are also the winners of the inaugural league.

Four teams - Air India, HAL, ONGC and JCT - finished on 24 points. However, the article VIII (2B) of the I-League regulations says that if points are the same, then the points secured in the matches between the concerned teams should be used to break the deadlock. The team securing highest points in these matches would be placed higher.

JCT, as usually, were totally devastated. “I could never imagine that we would be relegated from the National League,” said JCT coach Sukhwinder Singh.

“I agree that we didn’t play well this time but we were also the victims of the strange head to head rule. It is always better to judge a team on the basis of goal scored or goal difference. A team (Air India) that conceded 14 goals in one match and finished with such a poor goal difference (-32) have survived because of the strange rule,” argued the former national coach.

In Goa, the first sense of drama came as early as the 11th minute when RC Prakash put HAL in the lead. The promise was very much there — an upset was on the cards.

The goal failed to spur HAL on; instead it came as a wake-up call for Dempo. RantyMartins scored two in quick succession as Dempo went into the breather with a 2-1 lead.