Local outfit State Bank of Travancore routed arch rivals F C Kochin 3-1 in a Second Division National Football League, Group A final phase round one, match in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.
With their second win, SBT now lead the table with six points.
FC Kochin, demoted to the Second Division last year, are almost out of the reckoning for a place in the NFL after suffering their second consecutive defeat.
In a crucial match between two Kerala sides, F C Kochin held the upper hand in the initial stages and relentlessly attacked SBT's citadel. It almost fell when Kochin won a spot-kick in the 13th minute. But the kick, taken by foreign recruit Nana David was brilliantly saved by bank custodian Harshal Rehman.
SBT slowly regained contral and went into the lead in the 27th minute when striker Abdul Hakkim connected a high ball from the midfield and lobbed over the advancing Kochin goalkeeper.
Changing ends, SBT continued their domination, with striker Asif Saheer and medio Ajayan combining well. It was Ajayan who increased SBT's lead with a powerful shot in the 51st minute.
Two minutes later Kochin pulled one back through another foreign recruit Daniel Bonda.
But the Saheer-Ajayan duo combined again to put the issue beyond the reach of Kochin, scoring SBT's third goal in the 64th minute.
On Monday, BSF will take on Assam State Electricity Board.
