Dempo Sports Club maintained their position atop the eighth National Football League after edging past Haywards 2000 Sporting Clube by a solitary goal at the Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa, on Tuesday.

The match failed to produce any thrills as it was mostly confined to midfield in the first-half, which saw both teams getting more physical than constructive.

Dempo scored the all-important goal in the 34th minute. Defender Stanley Colaco floated the ball to Sunday Seah following a free-kick. Seah controlled the ball and curled it into the goal. The ball dipped into the goal at the far end of the right post, beating Keeper Felix all ends up.

Sporting Clube, who had more ball possession in the second half, made desperate attempts in the closing stages but failed to find the equaliser.

Dempo have 10 points from four matches while Sporting Clube, who suffered their second defeat, are with four points from as many matches.

Referee Rizwan-ul-Haq showed the yellow card to Dempo's Stanley Colaco, Sameer Naik and Sporting Clube's Louis Aniweta.