Church Boys United are having a fairytale run to their Martyrs Memorial A-Division League campaign as the league debutants beat the other newcomer Khumaltar Youth Club 3-1 for a second consecutive victory.

Striker Ashish Chapagain scored a brace and midfielder Arik Bista was also on target for the Church Boys. Messouke Oloumou pulled one in for Khumaltar.

Both Church Boys and Khumaltar arrived at the ANFA Complex on a high after announcing their arrivals in style—Church Boys stunned Nepal Police Club 2-1 and Khumaltar shocked Friends Club 1-0, in their A-Division openers.

But Church Boys—promoted as B-Division League winners—declared their precedence over Khumaltar in the top tier league as well with two early goals..

Khumaltar defender Padam Bhattarai was at fault for the first drawback, with his poor back header leading to his team going down 1-0 in the 11th minute. The defender misplaced his back pass in a difficult area and a chasing Chapagain swiftly took advantage of the error to chip over goalkeeper Dev Limbu.

Church Boys furthered the advantage seven minutes later through Bista after another poor defence by Khumaltar.

Forward Aashish Chaudhary dropped a cross between Bhattarai and Abhishek Limbu just inside the six-yard box, but the Khumaltar defenders were too slow to react and let the ball slip away for an unmarked Bista, who coolly volleyed into the back of the net.

Khumaltar put one back from a free kick in the 40th minute after Oloumou beautifully sent an inswinger past Church Boys’ Cameroonian goalkeeper, Yves Priso.

Khumaltar pressed for the equaliser after the break, but it was Church Boys who found the net again, thanks to a blunder by glovesman Limbu.

Limbu stretched too far to save a long pass from Church Boys’ defender Sabin Khadka but he failed to collect the ball and Chapagain fired low into the far corner.

Khumaltar had a chance to cut the deficit in the injury time of the second half, but Priso kept out a shot from Manish Thapa with a stunning reflex save.

In the day’s other match Three Star Club played a 3-3 draw with Friends in a dramatic match at the Chasyal Stadium.

Three Star took the lead just two minutes into the game through Ajayi Martins and left Friends behind twice through Yogesh Gurung in the 24th minute and Pradip Lamsal in the 87th minute after Kushal Phuyal and Akhrorbek Uktamov equalised, twice.

And just as when it seemed Three Star—who lost their opener 2-0 against departmental side APF Club—were laying their hands on their first victory of the season, Anil Maharjan conceded an own goal at the death of the second half injury time to pour cold water on Three Star’s joy.