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Guwahati : NF Railway SC edged past Navajyoti Club 1-0 in a championship round group match of the Abhishek Motors RG Baruah Trophy Guwahati super division football league at Nehru Stadium here today. Heavy underfoot conditions, rendered by showers minutes before the kick-off, made it difficult for the players to control the ball throughout the match. However, it was the railmen who struck first blood in the third minute as maverick striker Sibra Narzary connected one into the net, catching Navajyoti goalkeeper Subhajit Barman unawares. The railmen would have gone up by two goals midway into the first half had Barman not saved a Duleswar Rabha shot. Desperate to draw parity, Navajyoti flattered to deceive, with erratic passing not helping their cause. In the second half, NFR tried to gain the upper hand in the opening minutes till Navajyoti countered. The players of both teams slipped and swirled in the slush, with the puddles of water near the goalmouth not helping matters. Navajyoti nearly found the equaliser on two occasions, as captain Prasanta Bharali swirled two corner kicks perilously close to the goal line. In the 68th minute, Narjary threatened to score after dribbling past the midfield, but the Navajyoti defence stood stout. In the 75th minute of the match, a swirling corner kick by Navajyoti playmaker Imlitoshi Ao was punched out of danger by NFR custodian K. Bijen Singh. Seven minutes later, Narzary faltered at the goalmouth while in the 86th minute, a Navajyoti counter came to naught as African recruit Ifeanyi Nkenchor's shot missed the target.