103rd Nadkarni Cup 2009              Air India v Kenkre FC   Match Report by Shailesh Karkera Experience comes into play as elite division outfit Kenkre FC register a convincing 5-1 win against the Under-19 squad of Air India in the first round of the 103rd Nadkarni Cup.   Early goal In the first of the double header, two minutes is all it took for Kenkre FC todrab an early lead against the Air India youngsters. Following a well taken corner by Bapil Singh, an unmarked Pablo Rodrigues headed home from three yards out to open the scoring for the men in the green and white pinstripes. Goal! 1-0. As the minutes wore on, it was evident that the Air India players were struggling to cope with the ground conditions and were finding it difficult to hold on to ball possession in the heavy outfield. On the other hand, Kenkre FC were having no such problems and doubled their advantage in a matter of minutes. Two-nothing Chasing a through ball up the pitch, forward Enoch Agyekum’s quick feet enabled him to shake off his marker with relative ease before blasting a low drive - past the charging keeper – and into the back of the net. Goal! 2-0. Kenkre FC added a third midway through the half following a lucky break inside the penalty area.    Stranded! The A-I keeper was left stranded on his goal-line as a cross from the right flank came to a dead stop ten yards from goal and fell in the path of Kenkre’s Nigel D’Souza. Showing great composure, the winger found the net with a simple tap-in finish. Goal! 3-0. Air India pulled one back at the stroke of halftime with what was an unconventional goal to say the least. Following a rare Air India attack, forward Vernon Saldanha beat the keeper to an ariel ball inside the six yard with a header which looped over the defence and took two bounces before finding it’s target. Goal! 3-1. As the second half kicked off, any hopes of an Air India comeback were dashed as Kenkre FC cemented their lead with the fourth of the game.  Forward Zahid Akhtar set up Nigel D’souza with a measured through ball inside the box and the latter reciprocated with a well placed finish past the keeper. Goal! 4-1. Cheeky chip! Kenkre’s scoring spree was capped off by the cheekiest of strikes late in the game. Striker Enoch Ageyum - who had kept the AI defenders on their toes throughout the ninety minutes – found himself in a one-on-one situation with the keeper following a through ball from the left wing. With time and space at his disposal, Enoch opted for the spectacular route to goal – chipping the ball over the stranded keeper’s head and into the back of the net. Goal! 5-1. The referee’s whistle signaled an end to the game and Kenkre FC were through to the quarter-finals for a interesting match-up against tournament hosts RCF. With the high level of football that was dished out in this fixture, only time will tell wether the pinstriped boys will prevail.