Kolkata, Nov 10: A buoyant Mohun Bagan handed Churchill Brothers a 3-0 thrashing to nose ahead of the Goans in the standings to be on second spot after round five of the I-League on Thursday.
Sunil Chhetri fired in from long range to put the local giants ahead in the 28th minute, while his striking partner Ashim Biswas made a 2-0 lead at half-time with his header in the 45Ưst minute.
A regrouped Churchill Brothers looked to bounce back in the second-half but in absence of their ace striker N D Opara the Goans failed to break the Mohun Bagan defence as Jewel Raja completed the rout for Mohun Bagan with a 90Ƴth minute strike.
The win meant Mohun Bagan climbed to second spot behind Dempo with 12 points.
After suffering their first loss of the I-League at the flood-lit Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Thursday, Churchill Brothers (10) dropped to fourth position.
Without their star signing Odafa Onyeka Okolie who is recovering from an injury, Mohun Bagan started well under Chhetri and Biswas upfront.
The Indian stalwart impressed with his raids, something that resulted in a goal from nowhere for the lead.
Chhetri's right footer from 30 yards found deflection from a Churchill defender before finding the back of the net.
With no Beto, Churchill had a tough first-half, even as Mohun Bagan allowed a few opportunities.
Mohun Bagan doubled the lead at the stroke of interval when a long cross from Raja was brilliantly capitalised by an aerial Biswas who finished it with a clinical header.
Churchill showed the right intent after the changeover but Opara's absence hurt them badly as Mohun Bagan defence with Surkumar Singh, Kingshuk Debnath and Anwar Ali did a neat job.
Senior-most pro Jose Barreto made a comeback when he came in place of Snehashish Chakraborty in the 70th minute, even as Churchill's Gabonese striker Henry Antchouet struggled to get a goal.
In the final minutes, Raja scored from a counterattack when he received the ball from Barreto before slotting past Churchill goalkeeper Felix D'souza.
