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For the first 3 matches in March before today's match, we scored 6 goals. In today's match, we tripled it. Yes, you didn't read wrongly. We whacked in 18 goals and in the process, overwhelmed FC Fantansista 18 - 1. Not that Fantansista were a walkover team. Comprising young fellas from 19 to mid-20s, they are fairly organised and kitted out in some fearsome combination of colours. Being young men they are, not surprising that they are full of energy but they must be wondering what they were up to after the match.
Teck Chye (4), hat-tricks from Teck Wah and Gan, braces from Kama, Mike and Kian Hwa, and Chor Guan and Kok Hock contributed 1 each - these completed the rout of Fantansista.
At the break, we were already 10-0 up but we didn't let our foot off the pedal in the 2nd half. Fantansista, to their credit and enthusiasm, came back stronger at us. They played with a bit more urgency and had a couple of goal-scoring opportunities thwarted by Brandon before a needless penalty conceded by us gifted them a consolation goal.
Highlight of the match? Their playmaker kept urging his players on with gusto "C'mon, guys! Run faster and chase....they are OLDER than us, you know?" Yes, another situation of at least half their team being not even half our age :)
We played poorly today to deserve a 1-3 loss to Messy* Blues. Gan scored for us.
*Not Messi. They were indeed messy but we outdo them.
Marine Sunday suffered the 2nd loss of the season but nobody had any complaints. Vipers FC's players are not only young and fit but they are very organised and disciplined on the pitch. They play good football and honestly, anything less than a win would have been injustice to them. But that doesn't mean we are a bunch of dead woods. Sure, we were overrun in 1st half but we bucked up in the 2nd half and we prevented further damage, although our football wasn't pretty and we had Brandon to thank for.
Vipers did all the damage in the first 25 minutes of the match, notching an early lead and then a piece of quick-thinking by Simon pulled off our equalising goal with another of his trademark long-range shot. But we allowed them the world of time, enough for them to use T-square and compass to chart where to place the ball, for them to score 2 more goals and that was how it ended at the break, 1 - 3.
We tightened up in the 2nd half although we struggled to break in their half. Vipers could have gone further but they fluffed their penalty, shooting straight at Brandon, who put in a steady performance for us.
We lost 1 - 3 but seriously, no shame.
Goldman Sachs were certainly a different team from the last encounter, where we whitewashed them 8-1 in June 2012. They played a more pressing game and with more confidence on the ball, with their midfield duo setting the rhythm for the team. They could have gotten a very early lead but their striker blasted the ball over at close range. We struggled to play to our usual fluidity and things were made worse by the water-logged pitch after a torrential downpour that held up play for 45 minutes. Still, our enthusiasm and spirit more than made up for our shortcomings in other departments and our goals came from an unlikely source, See Chiang, and newly converted striker, Chor Guan, each netting a brace.
See Chiang's 1st goal was a gem, worth replaying many times to watch. A cut-back in the box and then a right-footed curler planted the ball into the top right-hand corner of the goal, leaving GS' keeper no chance. Chor Guan then had an effort that came off the post, Simon had a couple of tries in the box but he aimed for the rugby post behind the goal. GS equalised shortly after after a surging run down the left caught us napping. The heavy downpour came as we approached half-time, 1-1 at the break.
When match resumed after a 45-minutes suspension, GS adapted to the water-logged pitch better and got an early lead. Their powerful winger simply flew down the right flank with ease before sending an inch-perfect cross for his striker to head past Brandon. We were staring at a defeat but our trademark spirit prevailed. The partnership between Teck Wah and Chor Guan was slowly blossoming and it was the former's long pass that had the ball skidded through the slippery surface for the latter to run through and hit the ball past GS' advancing keeper. Parity restored. Kok Hock, rightfully establishing the left-midfield position as his, put in another superlative performance when he cut back with his left-foot and his subsequent cross found See Chiang at the opposite far post. See Chiang's header finished up the move. 3-2. We were not done. See Chiang held the ball well before setting up Weng Khong for a cross into the box which GS' keeper spilled the ball and Chor Guan was spot on to benefit from this blunder. 4-2. GS continued to surge forward but our backline, well marshalled by Melvin and also welcoming back Rock into the fold, refused to be generous with the space and tightened up the play.
Still as solid as gold with this hard-fought 4-2 win.
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