Former winners, the Mighty Sparrows of Ministry of Information and Communications yesterday at the Sharks FC Stadium scaled the second round hurdle in the ongoing Rivers State Civil Service football competition, christened Head of Service, HOS, Cup.
The Information and Communication team overcame their Government House counterparts to berth in the quarter final stage.
It was a keenly contested encounter that saw action swinging from side to side, especially, in the first half.
The Government House team, eager to subdue their opponents, seen as their major obstacle in the competition, having lost to them on two previous occasions tried to grab an early goal.
However, the closest their  sustained pressure came to upsetting the Mighty Sparrows was when a fierce free  kick by their central defender forced the keeper to parry the ball to the cross bar and their attacked failed to take advantage of the rebound.
In the second half, the Sparrows grew into the game and the pressure changed sides. One of the numerous corner kicks was converted by their hitman, Francis Edookor midway in the second half.
Government House made renewed efforts to draw level but was rebuffed by the resilient defending of the Mighty Sparrows.
In the other matches decided yesterday, Ministry of Special Duties achieved an emphatic 3-0 victory over the office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, in a mostly one-sided affairs.
Also, the Civil Service Commission trounced Ministry of Employment Generation 3-0 to reach the next round.
In another close encounter, Ministry of Sports came from behind to overhaul the office of Head of Service team 2-1 and book a date with the Mighty Sparrows in the third round on Friday.