Railways crushed Pondicherry 10-1 to get their first win in Group H of Santosh Trophy qualifiers at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode on Friday.

The Railways had created plenty of chances in their tournament opener against Kerala on Wednesday but failed to score in a 1-0 defeat.

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But all that was forgotten in a flash as the Railway men ran through the Pondi defence with Sufiyan Shaikh scoring a hat-trick. Kerala had to make a goal-line clearance to prevent striker Shaikh from scoring the other day, but Pondicherry's defence could do nothing of that sort.

Fardin Ali Molla bagged a brace after Muhammed Ashiq S gave Railways a solid start with a second-minute strike. Johnson Joseph Mathews, whose long ranger against Kerala required an acrobatic save from Hajmal, scored Railways' eighth goal in the 74th minute.

Substitutes John Paul Jose and Subrata Murmu also joined the goal-scoring party, while Pondi captain Devendra C was unfortunate to turn an own goal in. Beskin Golson's 80th-minute strike proved a consolation for Pondicherry, which began with a 3-2 win over Lakshadweep on Wednesday.

Hosts Kerala are set to play Lakshadweep in the second match of round-two in the afternoon. At present, Kerala, Pondicherry and Railways have three points each, with the latter first in the standings with their superior goal difference.

Result: Railways 10 (Sufiyan Shaikh 18, 34, 90+1, Fardin Ali Molla 14, 43, Muhammed Ashiq 2, Subrata Murmu 54, Johnson Joseph Mathews 74, John Paul Jose 90+6, Devendra C 26 (og)) bt Pondicherry 1 (Beskin Golson 80)

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