Nepal Police Cup (NPC) battle to a 3-1 win over Gorkha Boys of India to secure a quarter-final berth in the Jhapa Gold Cup football tournament here on Friday.

Held at the Domalal Rajbanshi grounds, Suman Lama, Rabin Shrestha and Hem Tamang scored for the top-tier departmental team, while Bibek Thapa replied for the visiting Indian team.

Lama gave NPC the 31st minute lead and despite Gorkha Boys coming close to scoring an equaliser on numerous occasions, it was the department team who doubled the lead through Shrestha in the 76th minute. Shrestha slammed home a Nir Kumar Rai cross to add to the NPC tally.

Gorkha Boys upped their ante immediately and were rewarded three minutes later when Thapa. The visitors keep piling pressure on NPC but failed to find the equaliser for the second time in the game. Tamang struck late in the injury time to settle the nerves for the Policemen.

Gorkha Boys skipper Deepak Shrestha said they could not perform up to the mark due to the lack of proper training. “Lack of fitness was also another reason for our defeat,” added the Gorkha Boys skipper. NPC coach Birat Krishna Shrestha said he had taken the game as trail for his team. “We have several areas to improve on despite the victory,” said the NPC coach. Lama was adjudged man-of-the-match.

Hosts Jhapa-XI will take on Kaski-XI on Saturday.