Shillong: Ranti Martins has scored in each of his five appearances for Rangdajied United FC and the Blues will want to see him continue that run when they meet Sporting Clube de Goa in the 24th round of the Airtel I-League at the JN Stadium on Wednesday.

While the visitors have come straight from Kolkata, where they experienced a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Kingfisher East Bengal, Rangdajied are flying after beating Salgaocar FC 2-1 in Goa.

Sporting have fond memories of playing RUFC, having won the first leg of the League in Goa 3-0 in 2013, while also beating the Shillong team 2-0 in the Federation Cup in January.

However, the Goan team, who were once riding high in the table, even challenging for the top spot, have been in woeful form off late, not having won a single League match in 2014. They have thus slipped to sixth place in the standings, with Rangdajied moving up to eighth.

Sporting Clube’s coach Oscar Bruzon could not put his finger on the problem, speaking after the defeat at East Bengal.

“The boys have been playing very well before the break and it beats me how we have failed to turn up after the Federation Cup. It’s bewildering,” he said, adding that switching around a few players may have been one reason.

Wednesday’s hosts, meanwhile, are in fine fettle, with Martins firing in each game thus far since joining the club after the I-League returned from its break.

The Nigerian striker has quickly become the club’s top-scorer for the season with six goals, but the Blues may be relying on him a little too much.

Winning away at Salgaocar has proved to be a massive morale boost for the team, said assistant coach Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh, especially with the Sporting game coming only a few days later.

The victory in Goa was only their second away win of the season and even came in the absence of head coach Hering Shangpliang, who did not travel with the team.

Even if they have moved to eighth place, RUFC are not in clean air; they are just six points ahead of bottom club Mohammedan Sporting, who also have a game in hand, and they are tied on points with McDowell Mohun Bagan and Mumbai FC.

“When we win, we are happy. We know that we are in a crucial stage of relegation, so this win (against Salgaocar) will give us more confidence,” Syiemlieh said.