Former champions West Bengal started the LG Santosh Trophy 2002 campaign with a resounding 7-0 defeat of Rajasthan while Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra prevailed over Pondichery and Chandigarh respectively on the fourth day of the 58th National Football Championship.

With twenty eight championship title under their belt Bengal relied on guile and experience to completely dominate the cluster I tie at Mapal Kangjeibung. International Dipendu Biswas scored four goals in the match played under continuous drizzle and soggy field.

Even though normal passing game was not possible due to the slippery ground condition, Bengal succeeded in pumping in four goals by interval time before finding the target three more time in the second half. Amar Pyne fed Dipendu near the Rajasthan penalty area. The star striker wrong footed two defenders before opening the score account in the 14th minute.

Exhibiting brilliant footwork, Sandip Das weaved into the opponent danger zone and with the Rajasthan goalie at his mercy squeezed in to the far right for the second West Bengal goal 37 minutes into play. With Rajasthan running out of ideas to contain the marauding Bengal strikers the score-line increased to 3-0 three minutes later when Dipendu Biswas despatched Amar Pyne's cross from the right.

The provider became scorer barely a minute after the third when medio Surya Bikash Chakraborty made a horizontal pass and Amar Pyne gave the finishing touches for a healthy 4 nil lead at the half way mark. Rajasthan defender Ashish Kumawat gifted West Bengal the fifth goal deflecting an Amar Pyne attempt from the right in the 52nd min into his own net.

Dipendu Biswas, with his third goal of the match, increased the lead to 6 heading in skipper Debjit Ghosh floated pass made from 40 yards away. Four minutes later Dipendu was in the act again scoring in similar style after Amar Pyne foxed the Rajasthan defender and essayed a cross from the left to inflict the opponent their second defeat in as many match.

Bengal captain Debjit Ghosh, Mehetab Hossian and Chandan Das was booked while Rajasthan's Bhanwarlal also received similar treatment for unsporting behaviour. The cluster IV match between Himachal Pradesh and Pondicherry had to be shifted from ESU, Wangkhei to THAU, Thangmeiband due to unfavourable ground conditions. After a dull and goalless first half, marked by miss passing and below par performances, Pondicherry was shattered as Rahul Sharma climbed to head the winner for Himchal Pradesh one minute into injury time.

Chandigarh also dimmed its chance of staying alive in the championship losing for the second time in a row. In their cluster II preliminary round clash against Maharashtra succumbed under the tremendous pressure exerted by the opponent .strikers spearheaded by Ayaz Ahmed and Santosh Shende and well fed by the midfielders.

With rain showing no sign of a let-up, Maharashtra with better team cohesion had the early advantage but failed to open the score account in the first half due to inaccurate shooting. Maharashtra's opening goal in the 68th minute after changeover came off a penalty award. A flag kick taken by Mahato from the right corner swung viciously into the Chandigarh goalmouth where Stephen Deas' header beat the entrusting custodian Mukesh Kumar. Defender Jitender, in a desperate effort to prevent the ball sailing in donned the goalkeeper's role collecting the hall with his hand.

The referee promptly reached for his pocket to flash out the red card. He not only became the first player of the championship to receive the marching order but conceded a penalty to the opponent. Naushad Moosa made no mistake with the shot to put Maharashtra in front.

Substitute Ajiz Qureishi fetched the second goal collecting a clearance inside the Chandigarh half and slammed home in the 77th minute after side stepping a defender.

Rain affected cancellation of two matches involving Punjab and Madhya Pradesh and Bihar versus Andhra Pradesh. Both the matches will be played tomorrow at ESU and THAU ground respectively at 12 noon.