Felix Chimaokwu's hat-trick went in vain as Mohun Bagan beat Salgaocar 5-4 in a thrilling encounter to register only their second win in the ONGC I-league at Nehru Stadium in Margao on Saturday.
Bagan, who dominated the first half, scored through Bhaichung Bhutia (3rd), Jose Marcio Barreto (32nd, 35th), Jenathan Himezie (47th) and substitute James Singh (70th).
Salgaocar fought back in the second half and reduced the margin through Boniface Ambani (13th) and Chimaokwu's strikes in the 20th, 52th and 65th minutes.
Salgaocar got some consolation after Chimaokwu was declared the man of the match.
The win takes Bagan to eight points from seven matches, while Salgaocar remained on three from as many outings.
Bagan exposed Salgaocar's fragile defence to take an early lead in the third minute. Baretto, who combined well with Bhutia, accepted a pass inside the box, dodged a defender and took a crack at the goal which keeper Milagrio Medeira blocked it. The ball travelled to an unmarked Bhutia who tapped it into the net.
Salgaocar, however, regrouped and found the equaliser in the 13th minute. Chimaokwu send a long lob into the box for Ambani who took defender Peter Edafe in his stride, drew keeper Sangram Mukherjee out and placed the ball into the empty net.
Chimaokwu then put Salgaocar in the lead in the 20th minute after he earned a penalty when defender Rauf Khan tripped him from behind from inside the box.
Bagan, who found going tough, brought in P C Lalanmpuia in place of Lalkamal Bhoumick and things changed dramatically as the speedy winger set up Barreto twice and the Brazilian scored a brace to put Bagan on top.
A move from the right saw Jonathan Chimezie sending a cross to Lalanmpuia who set up Baretto inside the box with a diagonal pass and the later shot home from close.
Three minutes later, a combined move between Barreto and Lalanmpuia saw the latter sending a goal mouth cross from the left and Barreto in a flash headed in giving keeper Medeira no chance to react.
Chimezie increased the lead at the stroke of lemon break when he headed the ball into the net off a flag kick taken by Dharamjit Singh from the right to have Bagan leading 4-2 at half time.
Down by two goals, Salgaocar went all out and Chimaokwu restored parity scoring two goals to record his first hat-trick.
First he beat Sangram off a free kick in the 47th minute and then completed hat-trick with a left footer to restore parity in the 52nd minute.
Salgaocar, who put the Bagan defence under pressure, had two clear chances but Chimaokwu was guilty of wasting those and Bagan punished them with substitute James Singh scoring for the Kolkata outfit with a free kick.
Referee Ninesh Nair showed yellow cards to Bagan's Rauf Khan, Lalkamal Bhoumick and Peter Odafe.
