Pradeep Maharjan finally overcame a goal scoring drought as he struck twice while teammate Yougal Kishor Rai added two to ensure a hard fought 4-3 NTSC victory over RCT in the on-going Martyrs’ Memorial San Miguel “A” Division League Football Tournament in Kathmandu today.

NTSC showed a spirited game to come back from a goal down twice and succeeded to make a cent percent result in the league with 12 points though they are struggling to show a fluid performance.

RCT skipper Madhu Karki brought panic for NTSC as his free-kick shot got some deflection through Santosh Gurung early in the 8th minute to go up one goal. The joy was short lived as Pradeep Maharjan, who scored five stars in the AFC Challenge Cup 2006 held in Bangladesh, broke his goalless jinx scoring the leveling goal in the 39th minute with his nimble footwork. Kailash Dongol supplied a superb cross to Maharjan, who was totally unmarked to dodge RCT goalie Dilip Chhetri.

RCT again took lead through Sikander Singh two minutes later utilizing the defensive lapses in NTSC D-box and went for the lemon break up one goal.

After the lemon break, Pradip Maharjan struck a beautiful goal in the 55th minute to score his second goal and the team’s equalizing goal. Talented but out-of-form Yougal Kishor Rai scored twice (68th, 72nd) to put NTSC ahead with two goals. But, Rishi Rai cut the deficit in the 75th minute capitalizing off a defensive error made by Lok Bandu Gurung and Anjan KC.

In the other game, the Tribhuvan Army Club (TAC) beat NRT by a lone goal coming off gusty defender Chun Bahadur Thapa through a penalty kick.

Though the match was 50-50 and flurry of chances were seen from both sides, NRT were unlucky with the referee’s decision and lost the three points in bay. Though NRT goalie Surendra Lal Shrestha denied the shot off Chun Bahadur Thapa, referee Saugesh Shrestha pointed for a spot kick – which NRT Coach Raju Shakya and captain Surendra blamed for the loss.

NRT tried their best to find the equalizer but they were unlucky in the 65th minute when Karna Limbu hit the top bar denying NRT an equalizing goal. TAC went on to top of the league table with 12 points on better goal difference.