The Hindu : Sport / Football : SBT in final

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Friday, Feb 24, 2006

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Sport - Football

SBT in final

Principal Correspondent

MANJERI: It was a goal to remember for Mohammed Harris.

The way he scored it alone would make it a special one, but it also turned out to be one of the most precious goals he has ever scored for SBT, as it took his team to the final of the State inter-club championship. In the all-Thiruvananthapuram clash at the Govt. BHSS Ground here on Thursday night, the bankmen beat Travancore Titanium 1-0, watched by the biggest crowd of the tournament so far.

In Friday's final, SBT takes on KSEB.

The spectators weren't disappointed, as the match produced some exciting stuff, especially in the second half, as Titanium staged a tremendous fight-back, which however, failed to produce the equaliser. That goal by Harris was to separate the two teams till the end.

It came in the 17th minute, almost out of nowhere, as Harris curled a 35-yarder home, watched in despair by the Titanium custodian K.T. Navas, who had advanced a bit. About 12 minutes earlier, he had denied Harris from close in.

SBT could have gone 2-0 up in the 29th minute, but C.J. Renil, who had a forgettable game after catching the eye in the last matches, messed up an excellent pass by Abdul Noushad, whose return brought energy back to the bankmen's attack. This is still a very depleted SBT side, and its rival also knew that, as it marked Mohammed Rafi for special treatment. The dangerous SBT striker must've been brought to the ground tonight at least four times. But he survived, as did his team, thanks to some superb defending, led by the ever-dependable Abdul Basheer, and fine work under the bar by Jaffer.

If SBT had held the upper hand in the first half, in the second, Titanium dominated, as seasoned campaigner T. Usman came up with an inspired performance. He orchestrated a series of lovely moves down the right, but his colleagues up front proved not quite up to the task.

Besides, the night belonged to SBT. And Mohammed Harris.

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