Local outfit Mahindra United hung on to a first half strike by mid-fielder S Venkatesh to defeat Durand Cup champions Salgaocar Sports Club 1-0 in a National Football League match at Mumbai on Sunday.

It was dull and drab encounter at the Cooperage as neither team seemed to have any kind of understanding among its mid-field and forward line.

The forward line of both the teams got a plethora of chances only to be wasted by some poor finishing.

With the forwards competing with each other in missing the target, the lanky mid-fielder Venkatesh rose to the occasion in the 24th minute heading a corner kick by Falguni Dutta.

Mahindra forward Abhishek Yadav was guilty of missing as many as three sitters while Samson Singh was the main culprit for the visitors.

Looking for an equaliser, Salgaocar went all out attacking in the second half but failed to restore parity due to some mistakes by its forwards.

Salgaocar defender Roberto Fernandes, substitute Bernard Pires and Mahindra skipper Khalid Jamil were shown yellow cards for rough play.