Chennai: Chennai Customs staged a stirring second-half comeback to see off FCI 3-1 in the St. Joseph’s-CFA senior division league on Thursday.

Customs were so disjointed and uninspired in the first 45 minutes that a shock win for FCI looked a likelier outcome. But their spirit and self-belief earned them a crucial win and a place at the top of the table.

FCI had the match under control until the break, only to lose the plot as a result of their ultra-cautious approach. They went into a shell to protect the slenderest of leads and paid the price. Against a team of Customs class, it was never going to be easy to play defensive football for an entire half.

Customs, stunned as they were by the setback, failed to settle into a rhythm. They suffered another blow when their midfield mainstay, P. Sudhakar, hobbled off in the final minutes of the first half. The substitute, Sasi Kumar, is a hard worker but hardly a peer to Sudhakar in creativity.

The final pass had come from Sathish, who stood out with his tireless running and commitment throughout the match.