The results, however, made no impact on the points table of the 11-team B. League.

Playing with ten men for the last 15 minutes, runners-up Mohammedan trimmed the gap with league champions Abahani to seven points after Mohammed Rony cancelled the opener by Arambagh forward Nicodemus in the Dhaka derby.

Sheikh Russel made the trip to the port city with a hope to win and overtake Muktijoddha for a third- place finish.

But the visitors had to remain satisfied with one point, thanks to Bulbul's second-half equaliser in the 59th minute after Chittagong Mohammedan, who clinched seventh place after a very impressive season, had taken the lead through Dipu in the very first minute of their home match at the MA Aziz Stadium.

Mohammedan, whose title hopes were heavily dashed after last round's 1-1 draw away at Khulna Abahani, hardly looked like the team to win without their inspirational captain Paul.

The Nigerian, whose 14 goals including a double-hattrick brought a mediocre side this far in the competition, was injured and his three fellow countrymen failed to dominate against a tight Arambagh defence.

Despite an unplayable pitch at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, muddy and sluggish, Arambagh enjoyed superior ball possession and Kenyan striker Nicodemus sent a superb chip from the left after 21 minutes for Morshed, only to see the ball run harmlessly across the black and whites goal.

Sharif and Walid twice volleyed over the Arambagh goal while Zuku's powerful drive from 20 yards skimmed the Mohammedan upright before Nicodemus separated the two sides in the 32nd minute with a sublime shot.

The Kenyan picked up a loose ball near the centre circle and raced down the right flank before hammering an angled right-footer into the roof of the net from outside the area for his eighth goal, giving Mohammedan goalie Himel no chance.

Midfielder Sharif then spoiled a chance to equalise as his drop-volley on a rebound went over while Iddi Badambuze's close range effort was saved by Himel shortly before the break.

The second half began under drizzle, which made the strip faster and Walid, who replaced Paul as main striker, placed a first-time shot wide under pressure from Arambagh fullback Monu in the 53rd minute.

Nicodemus wasted a golden chance to double the lead as he smothered Himel from 18 yards in the very next minute. Mohammedan, who beat Arambagh 1-0 in their league opener in March, pressed hard and 12-goal Emeka's spectacular sidevolley on a right-side cross missed the mark for inches in the 70th minute.

The equaliser, however, came from a defensive lapse a couple of minutes later. Mithu sent a through into the Arambagh box but the ball stopped in the mud, giving Rony the time to go round the stunned substitute keeper Mitul and neatly place a low shot past the last defender.

Mohammedan's Nigerian midfielder Divine was then sent off for his second bookable offence -- a clumsy challenge on Zuku -- in the 77th minute and the ten-man Mohammedan survived a close call ten minutes from time when Iddi's curling freekick from 40 yards hit the crossbar.

Mohammedan coach Shafiqul Islam Manik admitted that finishing runners-up with a rather ordinary side made him happy.

"The last match, there was no motivation but throughout the league, my young players played brilliant. I am eventually satisfied," said Manik.

"I would not blame the draw against Khulna Abahani for missing out the title. Actually, we failed to start well in the second leg," added the coach, whose side were leading the table after first leg but drew the first three games.

After five straight wins, Mohammedan ended the race with two draws which saw them unbeaten in 16 matches since successive defeats to Muktijoddha and Abahani.

Having failed to sign any big local names, the local giants had to rely on the Nigerian quartet whose performance virtually kept them alive.

Red card: Divine (Mohammedan)

Yellow cards: Zahid (Mohammedan) and Monu, Iddi (Arambagh)

TEAMS
MOHAMMEDAN: Himel, Arif, Odafe, Biplab (Nazir), Zahid, Kamal (Belal), Divine, Sharif, Rony, Walid (Mithu) and Emeka.

ARAMBAGH: Piru (Mitul), Monu, Ratan, Biketi, Akram, Sharif, Zuku, Domenic, Morshed, Iddi and Nicodemus.

Referee: Abdul Hannan.

TOP SCORERS
Double hattrick: Paul (Mohammedan v Rahmatganj)

Hattrick: Alfaz (Muktijoddha) v Rahmatganj, Junior (Brothers) v Rahmatganj and Khulna Abahani, Emeka (Mohammedan) v Ctg Mohammedan and Rahmatganj, Emily (Abahani) v Rahmatganj.

16 goals: Junior (Brothers)

14 goals: Paul (Mohammedan)

12 goals: Emily (Abahani), Emeka (Mohammedan)

8 goals: Alfaz (Muktijoddha), Nicodemus (Arambagh), Robin (Farashganj)

7 goals: Younes (Russel)

6 goals: Ibrahim (Abahani), Moni (Muktijoddha), Iddi (Arambagh), Abraham (Ctg Abahani)

5 goals: Dipu, Asif (Ctg Mohammedan), Khokon (Ctg Abahani)

4 goals: Abul, Nazrul (Abahani), Brahim (Muktijoddha), Ighir (Russel), Manju (Brothers), Prashanta, Mamun, Pikul (Khulna Abahani), Santosh (Ctg Abahani)

3 goals: Md Rony (Mohammedan), Bulbul (Russel), Faisal Mahmud (Brothers), Biketi (Arambagh), Yusuf (Ctg Mohammedan), Tajul (Khulna Abahani), Apu, Francis (Rahmatganj)

2 goals: Tipu, Zahed Parvez (Abahani), Mithu, Zahid (Mohammedan), Munna (Muktijoddha), Zaim (Russel), Enock, Tapu, Monwar (Brothers), Domenic (Arambagh), Ali Hossain, Puma, Arup (Farashganj), Adeyanka, Md Mamun (Rahmatganj)

1 goal: Joy, Parodi, Sanchez, Souleyman, Pranotosh, Abdullah Parvez, (Abahani); Nakib, Kamal, Biplab, Farhad, Divine, Odafe (Mohammedan); Arman Aziz, Arman, Titu, Hassan Al Mamun, Parvez Babu, Saiful, Kanchan, Biddyut, Maruf (Muktijoddha); Nayan, Amin Rana, Pappu, Kaiser (Russel); Mamun, Shuvra (Brothers); Ritu, Nurul Islam, Zuku (Arambagh); Camara, Zahid, Towhid, Momolu, Dowlat, Pavel, Anthony Doe (Ctg Mohammedan); Idris, Rony Islam (Farashganj); Moshiul, Ashiqul, Kajal, Nazmul (Khulna Abahani); Dhiman, Jitu, Narayan (Ctg Abahani); Hanif, Milon, Shoeb, Ikogho, Rasel Ansary (Rahmatganj).

Own goal: Sharif (Arambagh v Brothers), Awlad (Khulna Abahani v Russel), Rida Saadane (Russel v Ctg Abahani), Sony (Rahmatganj v Khulna Abahani).