FC Pune City reached the top of the Hero Indian Super League Season 2 table following a thrilling 3-2 home win over Kerala Blasters FC and head coach David Platt said controlling the game in the second half was what set them apart.

Both teams went into the break at 2-2 with Kalu Uche and Mohammed Rafi scoring a brace for the home side and the visitors respectively before Tuncay Sanli’s winner in the 72nd minute. Platt, speaking to the media after the match at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium in Pune, assessed the match for his team.

“The first half I’m sure wasn’t very good for me on the bench because the game was very end to end. I’ve spoken before about controlling a football match with or without possession. I thought both sides could have scored a lot of times. So we spoke about controlling the game at the break and we managed to do that in the second half,” Platt told reporters.

“I think the effort put in by both sets of players in the first half meant the second half was going to be subdued. I’m sure Peter [Taylor] spoke to his players and said not to play as end to end and that’s what coaches want to do. I think we edged the second half and I am pleased we got the goal as well.”

When asked if it was Pune’s best offensive performance this season, the Englishman replied: “I prefer to look at things on the whole. We’ve conceded two goals tonight and very often when you concede two goals, you don’t win games. I wouldn’t be too critical of my players, I think they’ve done magnificent today. We had 72 hours between games and travel back home yet we did well today, we didn’t tire.”

On a query whether Uche (four goals this season) was now the team’s number one striker, Platt said: “Talent gives us a platform with which we can play. I am lucky to choose from four strikers with such different characteristics…As long as they all stay fit, it would help me to take decisions on characteristics rather than on circumstances. It’s a great situation to be in.”