A double strike by Yusif Yakubu enabled Mahindra United beat Salgaocar 2-1 and post their fourth victory in the ONGC National Football League, in Margao, Goa, on Thursday.
Mahindra, who lead the table with 13 points from five matches, are one point clear of second-placed East Bengal.
Salgaocar, who lost their third match, remain on four points from five matches.
Mahindra United went on the offensive from the start and put the Salgaocar defence under pressure.
In the absence of regular players Robert Fernandes, Manitombi Singh and Remus Gomes, the Salgaocar defence found the combination of Yakubu and Jose Baretto too hot to handle and conceded an early goal, in the fourth minute.
Baretto split the defence with a through pass, inside the box, to Yakubu, who found the net with an angular drive.
Yakubu increased the lead in the 25th minute. Baretto, who harassed the rival defenders repeatedly, laid a back pass to Manju, who in turn relayed to Yakubu. The last-named made no mistake in finding the net and giving Mahindra United a 2-0 lead at half-time.
Goalkeeper Arijit Sengupta saved Salgaocar from further damage, as he denied Yakubu his first hat-trick and later blocked a powerful shot from Steven Dias.
Salgaocar, who were clueless in the first half as their midfield failed to function, raised their game several notches in the second and Samson Singh forced Mahindra 'keeper Subhashish Roy Chowdhury to block a good shot from him.
Referee P Baskar showed yellow cards to Mahindra's N S Manju, Steven Dias and Salgaocar's Selwyn Fernandes.
Salgaocar pulled a goal back in injury time through substitute Bruno Oliveira, who scored off a pass from Jerose Oliveira.
