FC Raengdai continued its dream debut in the 135th Durand Cup by edging home favourites Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU FC) 4-3 in a thrilling Group D match at Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal on Monday.

The newcomer produced another impressive display to register its second successive win and move to the top of the group with six points.

Mridul Doley starred with a brilliant hat-trick, scoring twice before the half-hour mark to put Raengdai in control. Akash Meitei reduced the deficit for TRAU in the 43rd minute before Chongtham Kishan Singh restored Raengdai’s two-goal advantage in first-half stoppage time. Afdal Varikkodan scored soon after the restart and an own goal by Lanchungrei Pamei in the 67th minute levelled the score at 3-3. Doley completed his hat-trick in the 79th minute to seal a memorable victory.

In a Group F match at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, another debutant FC1 came from behind to defeat Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC 2-1 despite finishing the match with 10 men. Joseph Mayowa Olaleye gave Karbi Anglong the lead before Shakir Ahmad Sheikh equalised. Hayat Bashir put FC1 in the lead in the 53rd minute, which the visitor successfully preserved despite seeing its defender Tetty Armando Yoko sent off with 30 minutes of action still remaining.

The results: Group D (Imphal): TRAU FC 3 (Chanam Akash Meitei 43, Afdal Varikkodan 47, Lanchungrei Pamei 67-og) lost to FC Raengdai 4 (Mridul Doley 14, 24, 79, Chongtham Kishan Singh 45+3).

Group F (Guwahati): Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC 1 (Joseph Olaleye 27) lost to FC 1 2 (Shakir Ahmad Sheikh 40, Hayat Bashir 53).