Kerala Blasters have returned to winning ways in the ISL with a 3-0 win over fellow-strugglers Mohammedan SC at Kochi on Sunday.

In their first match since the sacking of head coach Mikael Stahre, on the back of six losses in seven matches, including three in a row, the Blasters had to face the ire of fans, who protested both inside and outside the venue against the management.

To make matters worse, T G Purushothaman, the interim head coach -- the first Malayali to hold the position for the Blasters -- was without Jesus Jimenez. The Blasters' leading goalscorer was only fit enough to make the stands.

But under the challenging circumstances, the Blasters managed to churn out a win, aided by a touch of fortune. Mohammedan goalkeeper Bhaskar Roy gifted the Blasters a goal out of nothing in the 62nd minute, as he punched a harmless ball into his own net. The goalkeeper could have easily collected Adrian Luna's inswinging corner but he made a huge error as he mistimed him punch and conceded an own goal. Noah Sadaoui (80) and substitute Alexandre Coeff (90) ensured a hard-fought win for the hosts.

The game had been devoid of much drama until the hour. The talented Korou Singh had hit the post and Kwame Peprah had forced a save earlier, but in the absence of Jimenez, the Blasters did not appear quite sharp in front of goal. Mohammedan were largely kept silent by a disciplined Blasters backline, comprising Milos Drincic, Hormipam, Sandeep Singh and Naocha Singh.

After the opener, the Blasters found their rhythm and went on the attack. Moroccan striker Noah Sadaoui made it 2-0 with a beautifully placed header in the 80th minute. Korou had recycled a corner that had been cleared. The youngster found the star striker with a perfectly placed cross. Just before three minutes of added time was awarded, substitute Coeff made it 3-0. Captain Luna picked out Coeff, who arrived late at the far post to hammer home three points.

The win, only their fourth of the season, has lifted the Blasters back into the 10th position on 14 points from 13 matches. Mohammedan remain bottom with five points from 12.

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