Match #49 (29 Nov 08): To call or not to call.....

To call or not to call, that is the question. the turnout numbers was fluctuating the whole week right up to the morning of the match. with chye took our team name too seriously this week, khong remaining trapped in the warm hospitality of bangcock and mike suffering an inexplicable bout of food poisoning, we have only 9 players for the day (which includes guests yap and benny)! our opponents were a good mix of malays, indians and chinese youngsters, with what looks like a few coaching staff by the sidelines. yet for one looking like a seriously drilled outfit, they didn't have a team name. in any case, it was going to be a long day.

we started with 2 more guest players for MIC Red Team. Ref blew for kick-off assisted by 1 linesman. MRT was all over us at the beginning but the difficult field reduced their fine approach play to end tamely for goal kicks. they had to pepper shots from outside which posed no problem for seah. however, there endeavor was rewarded as a powerful cross deflected off st's shins and their midfielder thumped in the loose ball. the ref was one of those fresh young trainee types who went by the book all too literally. a punted through ball was received by a clearly-offside player, and he ran through to score. in response to our protest, the ref said the linesman didn't flag. of course, he didn't....he was still walking around the perimeter of the field to get to his position! to call or not to call.....

second half was a lot better as we defended the bumpier side of the pitch. we knew it would be difficult to size up shots so we concentrate on our shape. with mark providing industrious work to shield the defence of benny, yap, ng and brandon, we staved off many dangerous moves. even then, MRT tried to get into the mud-caked box a number of times and seah produced superb stops to deny them. we had a few chances but it wasn't for us to score. Wah got a deserved straight red for telling the ref and linesman what he thought abt the size of their brains and appendages. his view was truely vindicated as he returned to the pitch after 12 minutes in an act of defiance which the ref and linesman had no answer to (the ref has piontedly refused to grant my request when i politely asked for wah to be allowed back to play after 10 minutes of cooling off has passed). in the last 5 minutes, we went all out to get a goal and was richly rewarded. a clever through ball from st forced the keeper to fumble outside his box when challenged by our guest player from MRT, who duly rounded him to slot into goal.

final score 1-2. doesn't feel at all like a MS match. so to call or not to call......