Dempo Sports Club staged a superb rally to score a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mohun Bagan in an eighth National Football League match in Margao, Goa, on Tuesday to keep their title hopes alive.

Dempo, who were five points adrift of leaders East Bengal at the start of the match, moved to 35 points from 18 matches.

Bagan, who needed a victory badly to move above the relegation zone, remain in eighth place with 19 points from 17 matches.

The victory enabled Dempo avenge their 0-1 defeat in the first leg.

 After Sunday Seah blunted Bagan's Renedy Singh's early strike, substitute R C Prakash scored the winner for Dempo minutes after the break with a powerful right-footer from 30 metres.

Bagan's ambition to come back into the match was then halted by Dempo's defence and 'keeper Abhijit Mondal, who stood firm.

The Kolkatans began on a promising note, taking an early lead in the eighth minute when Renedy's left-footer found the far post after 'keeper Mondal tried to punch away an Ashim Biswas cross to Renedy.

Dempo did not lose hope and kept on the pressure to find the equaliser minutes before the interval through a penalty.

The penalty was awarded by referee Dinesh Nair after Renedy brought down Prakash inside the box as he moved in dangerously after collecting a pass from Wilton Gomes.

Seah, who took the spot-kick, made no mistake with a deft placement to the left of the goalkeeper.

Bagan could have still led at half-time but Eduardo Ribeiro's header hit the post two minutes before the end of injury time.

The change of ends saw Dempo taking the lead in the 46^th minute when a move by Seah and Prakash ended with the latter finding the target.

The goal acted as a tonic for Dempo and the Goans could have increased the lead a minute later, but Clifford Miranda muffed an easy chance as he drove the ball straight to the keeper.

Seah, who was marked tightly by the rival defenders, also missed an open chance as he shot straight into the hands of the 'keeper after Clifford had done the spadework.

Bagan made some desperate attempts to equalise but Mondal stood firm under the bar to save shots from Renedy and Noel Kaseke.