A 'red card' to captain Stanley Colaco at the end of the first half could not prevent Dempo Sports Club from beating cellar team Indian Bank 1-0 in a National Football league match in Chennai on Thursday.

An opportunistic goal by Clifford Miranda soon after play resumed in the second half turned out to be the match-winner for the Goa side.

The victory took Dempo to second place on the league table. They have 31 points from 16 matches, the same as leaders East Bengal, who occupy the top spot on a better goal difference. 

Dempo's playmaker Stanley Colaco was sent off late in the first half by referee A K Ashokan for handling the ball at the top of the box. Colaco charged in and pushed the ball with his hand while Sri Lankan's striker Fazlur Rehman tried to deflect a forward lob by countryman Nadiga to the goal.

In the first half, the Goans were more attractive in their raids, but failed to get past bank goalkeeper Sebastian Netto.

The Goans shot into the lead in the 46th minute. Nigerian Mohammad Gaffari sent a long ball to Sunday Seah on the right, who lobbed it over rival players near the goalmouth. Clifford Miranda on the far side headed it toward the ground. The ball went into the net after the first bounce.

Thereafter, the bankmen were rather penetrative and showed a lot of urgency in trying to equalise. The Sri Lankans often lost their cool, while the Goans went about their task systematically.

Close to the final whistle, Dempo nearly scored following a counter attack, but Ishaq's effort went waste as Philip Gomes muffed the chance.