Jhapa played a 1-1 stalemate with Far-western FC at home to reclaim the top spot 24 hours after they were toppled from the summit of the Red Bull National League as all three matches played on Monday ended on draws.

At the Domalal Stadium, the hosts rallied from a goal down to lead the standings with 18 points from 11 games pushing Tribhuvan Army Club, who have 17 points from nine matches, to the second. The resumption of National League after the April 25 earthquake has not gone well for the leaders as they have collected only two points from their last three games.

In their previous two matches against bottom teams, Jhapa played a goalless draw against Morang before Lumbini FC stunned them 1-0. Three Star Club had an opportunity to go to the top on Monday but they played a 2-2 draw against Nepal Police Club (NPC). Three Star remained unchanged at third with 16 points from nine games, while NPC are third from the bottom with nine points from as many matches.

Far West were the biggest movers of the day as they jumped to fourth from sixth with 14 points from 11 matches. Lumbini (8 pts) and Morang (6 pts) played 1-1 draw and remain unchanged at eighth and ninth respectively. It was sixth draw for Morang in the “home and away” league with the team still left to register a victory.

After both teams failed to score in the first half, Shiva Subedi put Far West ahead with a 65th minute strike. Bishal Rai prevented Jhapa from what could have been a fourth loss from them scoring 10 minutes later. It was a same story at Laxmi Marg in Morang where the hosts went ahead with a 51st minute goal from Sumit Khadka after a goalless first half. Laxman Ruchal replied for the visitors in the 83rd minute.

In an entertaining game at Anfa Complex in Satdobato, NPC twice came from behind to deny Three Star the top spot. Three Star went ahead in the 37th minute with a Sagar Thapa stunner. The national team and club skipper Thapa converted a 35-yard shot into a sensational goal leaving NPC keeper Ritesh Thapa with hardly any time to react.

Three Star joy, however, short lived after skipper Jumanu Rai scored in the 42nd minute cashing in on a defensive lapse at the danger zone as both teams headed into the second half locked 1-1. Thapa was at his best when he cancelled three consecutive goal attempts, from Bijaya Gurung, Nirajan Khadka and Jagajeet Shrestha.

The constant pressure from Three Star was rewarded in the 69th minute when referee Bikash Mahat awarded them a spot kick after he adjudged Thapa to have tripped Santosh Sahukhala inside the NPC area. Sahukhala himself took the spot kick and regained the lead for his team sending Thapa the other way. NPC hit back in the 83rd minute but with a lucky strike.

The policemen were awarded a spot kick after Three Star’s Bishnu Sunuwar brought down Bharat Shah inside the danger zone. Sunuwar was sent off for his second bookable offence. Skipper Rai stepped in for the shot but ended up hitting the woodworks with the ball rebounding to the playing area.

A failed clearance then saw the ball landing right in front of Yogesh Shrestha who cooly converted the equaliser.