State Bank of Travancore kept their hopes of qualify for next season's premier division alive by staging a suberb rally to beat Air India, Mumbai, 4-2 in an exciting match in the Second Division National Football League finals in Delhi on Saturday.

The team in all red, the flag bearer of Kerala football, were down by two goals 11 minutes into the match but came back brilliantly to gather the full points in the four-team round-robin league.

SBT scored through Abdul Hakkim in the 35th minute, Abdul Noushad (52nd) and S Ignatius (54th and 75th).

In their first match on Wednesday, SBT were humbled 2-5 by Goa's Haywards Sporting.

Air India's second defeat in the tournament, after losing to Mohammedan Sporting 1-2, threw them out of the race for a top two finish, with just one match in hand.

But none expected a 4-2 win for SBT when their woes seemed to continue after the drubbing in the first match.

Air India turned on the heat in the very first minute when skipper Anthony Fernandes put them ahead. It seemed the end of the road for the bankmen 10 minutes later when Fernandes found Suprith Jathanna with a fine cross from the right. Jathana made no mistake making it 2-0 and SBT were looking down the barrel after conceding their seventh goal in the tournament.

However, three quick goals midway through the second-half changed the complexion of the match.

After Abdul Hakkim pulled one back in the 35th minute, Abdul Noushad put the bankmen on level terms in the 52nd minute.

Then S Ignatius found the net in the 54th and 75th minutes to fashion a memorable win for the Kerala side.

PTI