Dhaka, May 16:  Sheikh Russell toiled hard to beat Rahmatganj 3-2 in the Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Wednesday.

All of the goals were scored in the first half.

Russell took the lead in the 9th minute when midfielder Emon Babu picked a Jahed Parvez cross at the middle of the box and placed the ball in the middle of the net (1-0).

Nche Francis, the Nigerian  forward of Rahmatganj scored the equalizer in the 22nd minute after a right flank shot of Idris Kasirye deflected from the Russell defence and Francis scored with an angular shot from the middle of the box (1-1).

But Russell took the lead again in the 30th minute when their Cameroonian midfielder Frank Oliver’s powerful shot from the arc of the box deflected off a defender and landed in the far post (2-1).

Senegalese forward Mouchid Iyane hit the third goal of Russell in the 40th minute when he used his height to head the ball past onrushing Rahmatganj goalie Shujon Chowdhury (3-1).

Idris Kasirye, the Ugandan forward reduced the margin in the added time of the first half with a fierce volley on a left hand cross of Sirfin Rahman Rony (3-2).

The second half was dominated by Russell but they failed to score off the opportunities. In the 62nd minute Iyane saw his shot deflected off the feet of Shyamal Ahmed Rony and Oliver fed by Bukola in the 75th minute shot wide from the middle of the box.

Russell took their tally to 20 points from 12 matches while Rahmatganj remained on their previous earning of 9 points form 12 matches.