East Bengal Hand Customs Walkover, Peerless Crowned Champions

Kolkata, Oct 3 (PTI) Maidan heavyweights East Bengal on Thursday handed Calcutta Customs a walk-over, paving the way for Peerless SC to be crowned champions in the Calcutta Football League Premier Division A.

Peerless thus created history by becoming the first team outside the Big Three clubs of East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting to claim the title in 61 years.

Peerless had finished runners-up to Mohun Bagan last season.

East Bengal needed to win against Calcutta Customs by a seven-goal margin in their fixture slated for Thursday but the record 39 times champions did not show up, appealing the state governing body, the Indian Football Association, to postpone the match to October 21.

The investors, Quess, who control the rights of the team, issued a statement barely an hour before the match saying that its head coach Alejandro Menendez was on leave.

Originally slated for September 29, the game had to be rescheduled because of heavy water-logging at East Bengal's home ground.

But this time, IFA did not to accede to East Bengal plea, which cleared the path for Peerless SC to be adjudged champions with 23 points from 11 matches.

The official announcement will happen only on or after October 14 following the Durga Puja holidays.

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