This ground remains our jinx battlefield and VS Staff remain our bogey opponent, one that always leave us perplexed and this time round, thoroughly embarrassed. We were held in high regards, supposedly to be high-flying, but the extent of their 5 – 1 win over us must have also left them perplexed what was so high-flying about us. Perhaps, as the saying goes, we were nothing more than paper tigers. On the other hand, we were not as pathetic as the wide margin suggested. The score line might have suggested an embarrassing rout and an emphatic crushing but it was far from it. In fact, we just could not find any semblance of justice out of this match. VS Staff edged us in possession but we certainly carved out more goal scoring chances. The big difference between us was that they had their keepers to thank for saving their day and our keeper to thank for giving away the soft goals. Understandably, some of us would have pointed our fingers at Brandon. One goalkeeping error is enough to wipe out a goalkeeper’s career but four in a match that led to four goals conceded? In this regard, most would also have felt sorry for Brandon. A forgettable outing for him – basic goalkeeping errors, blunders and wayward kicking - that he probably thought he turned up with two left feet. But he is a strong lad, he will recover and become better.
VS Staff seized the initiative and forced a series of corners in the opening ten minutes of the game but each was comfortably dealt with by our defence. Their No 7 forward, whose play bordered on being irritating than anything else, proved a handful for Chung Wen but our reliable right back showed he was just as capable to contain the generously proportioned striker. Most of the action was on VS Staff’s left flank as they were clearly getting their left winger to exploit us with his beautiful ball control and nimble feet. He did send in a few dangerous-looking crosses from the left flank but our defence held out well. At the other hand, we failed to capitalise on the front pairing of the Tang brothers. Neither did we make use of Weng Khong and Kian Hwa on the flanks. We had a handful of half chances but nothing really threatened VS Staff’s custodian.
Proceedings were evenly balanced for the first 30 minutes until Weng Khong, who switched to the left to take over Kian Hwa, put in a reckless and needless challenge on their player at left middle of the pitch. The ball from the resultant freekick was floating in the air and their left winger No 5 read the flight of the ball well to outjump Chung Wen and nod the ball down towards the lower right-hand corner of goal, which the way-out-of-position, the first of the four goalkeeping errors, Brandon could not recover in time to prevent a goal. Chung Wen burst his lungs to sprint back and stretched his hamstring to the limit but for all his gallant effort, it was futile. 0 – 1 down. VS Staff found the net second time shortly after and it was through another piece of horrendous goalkeeping that gifted them the goal. VS Staff earlier introduced their much-touted flying right winger and he proved that his thoughts are just as flashing quick as his feet. VS Staff put the ball into our penalty box which Brandon did enough to come off his line to meet the situation. Instead of picking up the ball, which he should have, he chose to kick it away but the clearance went as far as the flying winger No 25 lurking outside the box. Sensing he had been caught out of position, Brandon hurriedly retreated to goal but it was too late as No 25 lobbed the ball into the open goal. 0 – 2.
In typical Marine Sunday fashion, we held on to our belief and sprang back to life. The last 10 minutes of the first half were all Marine Sunday. Not to be let down by the 2-goals deficit, we stepped up a notch to pile pressure onto VS Staff goal. Mark put in a fine cross from the right and Teck Wah met it at the far post with a first-time left-foot volley to reduce the deficit. 1 – 2. We could sense the recovery was not too far away. Chwee Leng was put through but VS Staff’s replacement keeper was quick to come off his line and bravely block Chwee Leng’s effort. More heartache for Chwee Leng a couple of minutes later as his rocket from outside the box rattled the bar with such venom that VS Staff’s keeper must have felt thankful he had not put his hands in the path of the ball. We continued to prod but the half ended with VS Staff holding a narrow 2 – 1 lead.
Again, it was all Marine Sunday in the first 15 minutes of the 2nd half as we continued where we left off in the first half but thereafter, things fell apart for us like a building giving way to landslide. Mark’s direct free kick from just outside the box looked a certain equaliser for us but it was tipped over the bar by VS Staff’s 3rd keeper of the match. We were to be denied by this burly keeper again as he miraculously palmed away a point-blank header from Teck Wah, who met Mark’s precise cross from the right with such purpose. We were enjoying the upper hand but the air of superiority was punctured by another defensive mistake. The usually cool Hock Leong, who had been having a solid game, over hit a back pass that caught both Chor Guan and Mark flatfooted. That presented VS Staff’s No 5 a free way to heaven as he galloped away with the ball to face Brandon. Brandon brilliantly denied his first effort but VS Staff’s support striker tucked in the loose ball into the empty net. This third goal somehow deflated our spirit and disrupted our momentum as we found ourselves staring at a 2-goals deficit again despite having a period of the Indian summer. We poured bodies forward to rescue the game and risked exposing the backline and we were duly punished by VS Staff. Our attack involving Chor Guan was broken up and VS Staff counter-attacked with their flying right winger No 25 causing us havoc. He whizzed past Leo and Hock Leong effortlessly and squared the ball for the unmarked No 5 in the box. Brandon diverted the No 5’s attempt for a corner but all his good effort in denying the goal came to waste when his poor handling of the resultant corner let the ball slip off his hand. VS Staff just could not believe their luck as they notched their 4th goal. 1 – 4.
It was fighting a lost cause for us but we kept going. Teck Chye broke through twice but he was hasty in shooting the ball wide. Teck Wah picked out Kian Hwa in the box, whose left-foot attempt was easily gathered by VS Staff keeper. Our reward for our effort was more misery bestowed upon us. Another attempt to clear the ball by Brandon turned out to be another disaster in the making as he somehow diverted the ball across the six-yard box. Leo was caught wrong-footed by the diversion of the ball and VS Staff could do no wrong with another open goal at their mercy. 1 – 5! Our final attempt at goal showed that it was simply not meant to be our day. It was Teck Wah’s turn to provide the cross from the right for Mark but again, VS Staff keeper proved hard to beat as he was at the right place to hold on to Mark’s first-time volley. Even a wee bit of consolation was denied. We dropped hard onto the ground and landed flatly on our faces. We knew we didn’t deserve to be at the receiving end of such a score line but VS Staff always take their chances well against us. This is another key difference…..apart from the goalkeeping factor.
Man of The Team: Mark (7 votes, out of 14)
The one who could have been on the victorious side chose to play for us. The only consolation for him is this Man of The Team award, quite a resounding one in fact:
“MOTM: If only Chwee Leng could last longer.... my vote for Mark for his wide perspective of game flow and acute positioning during the game which has become one of his star features.”
“mott: Mark...more for his presence and play in midfield in the first half. 2nd half was not getting into the game though until the last 10 minutes or so.”
“mott - Mark. Control the pace of the game well. provided good crosses, throwings. support attack and defends well...too bad we lost. we just need to have a few more of Marks and a keeper that really knows how to use the hands and I think we can win most games.”
“Motm: Mark for his good control of the midfield.”
“MOTM - we huff and puff and still loss 5-1. MOTM to Mark who soldier on till his last ounce of energy"
“MOtM is Mark - worked tirelessly for the team”
“MOTM = Mark, A dominant force in midlfield despite facing faster and more skillful opponents. Great link up play with the attackers and make effort to fall back to provide additional cover for the back four.”
Chung Wen and Chwee Leng had 2 votes each and both worked on the right, containing their left winger well:
“MOTM to Chung Wen for tenacious tackling, restricting their attacks. The goals we conceded were mainly from unfortunate errors.”
“No doubt Mark put up another sparkling performance, especially how he nullified their Indian left winger on a few times. But, Chung Wen narrowly won my vote. He contained their No 7 very well in first half. And the way he recovered and tried to prevent the first goal from going in….that epitomised Marine Sunday spirit!”
“MOM is Chwee Leng for good play on the right wing as well as tracking back to help defence and also the stupendous volley which if it had gone in would have possibly be the goal of the season.”
“Motm: Chwee Leng. Everyone work very hard this game, vote go to chwee leng cos he provide a most power shot in this game but too bad, the field is a bit smaller by 10cm…”
The other 3 votes went to Leo, Hock Leong and Teck Wah:
“Motm to 'leo last man'. Everytime he shouts that, the team can feel some assurance that someone is holding defence as we try desperately to get back into the game. There's always a need for a cool head as such.”
“MoTM goes to teck wah. Most threatening of all, and his speed was a handful for their defenders. Also scored our only goal.”
“MOTM - Hock Leong is my pick for the MOTM. His close markings on their 'shortie' striker and malay play maker were superb. Unfortunately, few concentration lapses caused us dearly but credit to the back four for doing their utmost best in the match.”
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