Bengaluru FC opened up a seven-point lead at the top of the table with a 3-1 win over United SC at the Kalyani Stadium, in Kolkata, on Thursday. Thoi Singh’s debut goal for BFC in the I-League and second half strikes from Sean Rooney and Sunil Chhetri condemned the hosts to their second straight defeat.

Westwood chose to start with Robin Singh in the centre while Rooney, on the right, meant Beikhokhei Beingaichho was on the bench. But no sooner than the 22nd minute did the gaffer have to introduce Beingaichho after Robin Singh had to be pulled off with a hurt shoulder. Both, Bengaluru and United didn’t have much to shout about for most of the half. But Thoi saved the team of what could have been rather stern half-time talk from Westwood, nodding home Rooney’s cross.

Menyongar, with possession on top of the box, slid it to the left where Chhetri lost a defender and set up Rooney who delivered perfectly. But it took less than ten minutes into the second half for United to draw level when Eric Brown scored from the spot after Keegan Pereira brought down Souvik Ghosh in the box.

United were keen to step on the pedal but it was Bengaluru who were spurred by the goal. On 61 minutes, Menyongar sprayed a long ball that Rino Anto picked on the right. The defender shifted the ball to his left, losing a United player and sent in a cross that Rooney powerfully placed in goal after a deflection from United defender Dhanachandra Singh.

It was all Bengaluru after that and one of three goal scorers could have had a second on the 69th when they all had a shot at goal. A failed clearance fell to Rooney whose shot was blocked. Thoi picked the rebound but his shot was saved by Bello Rassaq on the line only to fall to Chhetri who fired high.

The Blues, however, suffered a second injury set back when John Johnson limped off in the 75th minute with what looked like a twisted ankle, handing young defender Gurtej Singh his first appearance for the club.

Bengaluru’s third and Chhetri’s 13th in the League came in the 89th minute after the wily striker capitalized on a gaffe by ’keeper Jayanta Sen. Collecting a freekick taken by Chhetri, Sen hastily rolled out the ball to Dhanachandra who was unaware of a charging Chhetri and had the ball stolen off him before watching the BFC skipper calmly finish and wrap things up.

The win takes Bengaluru FC to 37 points from 19 games. Westwood’s boys now make the trip to Shillong where they will play Shillong Lajong on March 23.