By PETER SIOW

WHEN a student coach comes up against his master, the odds are sure to be stacked against him.

But Tohari Paijan overcame them last night to guide Tanjong Pagar to a hard-fought 2-0 win over a well-drilled Home United, coached by former Jaguars Robert Alberts, in the pre-quarter-finals of the Singapore Pools FA Cup at Queenstown Stadium.

Goals by Samawira Basri and Steven Tan, one in each half before 1,300 fans, extended Tanjong Pagar's streak over Home United to three. The host had triumphed previously in both the home-and-away legs of the S-League.

Said Tohari: "I realise Alberts knows all our weaknesses and will exploit them. In a way, he succeeded when his players marked out Majid Motlagh and, to a lesser extent, Nicodeme Boucher and Steven Tan.

"But we also snuffed out their three dangermen -- Egmar Goncalves, Stuart Young and Zsolt Bucs.

"Yes, it was a tactical battle all the way, which makes the win even more satisfying. But I'm grateful to Alberts as I learnt a lot from him."

To be sure, Home United did not just lie down after Samawira's well-directed free-kick from the top of the box which had goalkeeper Sergio Cleveland beaten all the way in the 21st minute.

It pressed forward relentlessly, but Goncalves and Bucs failed to profit from the resultant free-kicks.

It was much the same story in the second half as Tanjong Pagar blanketed its defence, with Lim Tong Hai, S. Subramani and Jorg Steinebrunner rarely putting a wrong foot forward.

Then, in one swift breakaway, Tan managed to give his shadows the slip in the 85th minute, but shot fractionally wide.