KALYANI (India): Current I-League leaders Mohun Bagan thrashed Manipur’s Neroca FC 6-2 here on Friday evening to open up 11-point lead at the top.
Bagan have 29 points from 12 games with Punjab FC on 18 points.
Neroca still find themselves in the relegation zone with 12 points from 13 matches.
Spanish midfield general and Man of the Match Fran Gonzalez netted a hat-trick to take his goal tally to nine while compatriot Fran Morante, Senegalese striker Papa Diawara and Romario Jesuraj all chipped in with a goal each to complete half a dozen.
Nigerian international Philip Adjah and Singham Subash Singh scored for the visitors.
Seven of the eight goals and a missed penalty came in a fascinating first-half and it was all started by Gonzalez as early as the 11th minute.
Fellow Spaniard Joseba Beitia was on top form, registering a hat-trick of assists in the game – setting up Gonzalez on his three goals.
The former also played a part in Fran Morante’s goal, as he sent in a corner that was controlled at the far post by Komron Tursunov, who’s shot was nodded in by Morante.
The carnage continued as ex La-Liga striker Diawara got into the act, creating the fourth for himself. Off a throw-in by Ashutosh Mehta, Diawara played on VP Suhair who ran into the box to send a cross-back for the Senegalese to score with a perfectly connected side-volley.
Keeper Marvin Phillip, who had a good game otherwise, thwarting many of Bagan’s 12 shots on target had no answer.
In between, Gonzalez also missed a penalty which was saved superbly by Phillip.
Neroca got their first when Varun Thokchom played Adjah from inside his half and the burly Nigerian went off on a solo run holding off his marker and unleashed a powerful drive once inside the box to beat Sankar Roy, the Bagan keeper.
Bagan responded immediately with Gonzalez’s hattrick. It was all confusion in the Neroca defence from another Beitia cross and it was left to Gonzalez for a simple tap in from close as the stray ball fell to him.
