Pune FC went down fighting 2-3 to Churchill Brothers in their final group game of the 35th Federation Cup at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi on Monday.

The loss was Pune FC’s second and with it ended their campaign with one point from three matches.

Churchill scored through Anthony Wolfe (8th & 73th minute) and Lenny Rodrigues (32nd), while winger Gabriel Fernandes (19th and 52nd) reduced the margin. Incidentally, the goals were Gabriel’s first in Pune FC colours.

Coach Mike Snoei made three changes to the starting lineup handing starts to Gabriel Fernandes, Zeeshan Rahman and Dhanpal Ganesh in place of Arata Izumi, Mumtaz Akhtar and Othallo Tabia

Having settled down, Pune FC found themselves in arrears off a move from the right with the game hardly ten minutes old. Adel Hamid Shabana finding space moved in, slid the ball past defender Calum Angus outstretched leg which ended up as an easy finish for Wolfe ahead of a retreating Anas Edathodika.

Down by a goal, Pune FC stepped up their attack when Gabriel from right had his stiff shot blocked by a defender.

Eleven minutes later, Pune FC equalised through the hardworking Gabriel. Meyer playing long put Anthony D’Souza clear on left, whose low grounder from the top of the box was saved by the rival custodian Lalit Thapa. The ball, however, rolled out to Gabriel  on the right who finished with a first-time on the run finish from close.

With the game settled 1-1, Churchill Brothers off a counter took the lead for the second time. Wolfe aided by a suspect foul disposed Douhou Pierre and sent unmarked Lenny in the clear on the left. Lenny paced 10-yards before releasing a crisp finish that found the back of the net between ‘keeper Amrinder and the first post.

Into the first minute of added time, Pune FC missed a golden opportunity to level scores. Riga on the left did well to set up Gabriel who missed from close at the far post as Pune FC went into the breather trailing 1-2.

Snoei then brought in medio Arata Izumi and Fanai Lalrempuia at the half-time to replace defender Zeeshan and medio James Meyer to add more firepower upfront.

The move worked as it took seven minutes for Pune FC to level scores after Gabriel equalised once again. After Ganesh’s shot from the midfield was blocked by the Churchill defense, Gabriel, lurking around, controlled and smashed home the stray ball home from inside the box.

Four minutes later, Pune FC went agonisingly close to taking the lead. After starting a move in the midfield, medio Ganesh’s perfect header from the edge of the box off Anthony’s cross in from the left came off the crossbar.

With momentum on their side, Pune FC kept on pushing ahead. Three minutes past the hour mark, playmaker Douhou Pierre sent striker Riga Mustapha clear on the edge of the box. However, his shot from the right was saved by the keeper.

At other end, striker Balwant Singh set on a counter and found himself one-on-one with ‘keeper Amrinder Singh who denied him brilliantly with a close block.

Seven minutes later, Wolfe almost gave Churchill the lead. With strike-partner Balwant setting him up on the right, Wolfe’s powerful attempt from the edge of the box came off the crossbar.

Three minutes later, Wolfe completed his brace. Controlling Balwant’s through pass, he rounded off Amrinder before slotting home from inside the box.

Pune FC, pushing hard, suffered a blow in the 79th minute when defender Calum Angus could not continue owing to injury reducing the side to 10-men as three substitutions were already utalised.