MAPUSA: Goa Police Sports Club edged out Bardez zone mates St Savio Sports Club, Calangute 2-1, to register their first win of the GFA’s Second Division Inter-Zonal play-offs, at Duler stadium, here on Thursday.

Still smarting from their narrow 3-2 loss against St Cruz SC, Cavelossim in the first round, the policemen largely owe today’s success to their shot-stopper Rupesh Kamat, who pulled of some stunning saves to thwart the rival strikers, which finally gave his team, the three valuable points they needed to stay in the competition.

Goa Police medios Kishore Palkar and Punaji Kalangutkar weres simply outstanding in the midfield.

The Police outfit forged ahead in the very 4th minute of play as hardworking striker Paresh Morje beat Calangute keeper Francisco Mascarenhas under the Calangute bar in a one-on-one situation.

Buoyed by the success, Goa Police made it 2-0 in 17th minute, when Bhanudas Rawal scored from a Punaji Kalangutkar pass. However, Calangute were thrown a lifeline seven minutes before the breather as former Churchill medio Sameer Naik struck a stunning 25-yard shot, which beat rival keeper Rupesh Kamat, 2-1.

On resumption of play, Calangute launched a series of attacks on to their opponents, but despite their best efforts the likes of Stanley Coutinho and Xavier Clemente failed to breach the last line of the Police defence.

The last quarter of the match saw Calangute pile on tremendous pressure but Rupesh Kamat came to his team’s rescue denying Stanley Colaco on three sure occasions.