Match #42 (13 Sep 09): The Old Horses Reigned Supreme, And With A Clean Sheet to Boast!

Match report by mel

Man Utd has Alex Ferguson, Liverpool Benitez and Arsenal, the Wanker. We have Kian Hwa. Just as fierce, sometimes as wonky with strategy (like Bentize, he doesn't think so) and can kick a bottle from CCK to Toa Payoh. None of those teams had to play without their main man. We did on Sunday. Will we survive? Will we lose against men young enough to be our children? Will we think of KH as we take aim in the urinal? Difficult questions.

It was blazing hot that day. Didn't help that our opponents, Eusoffites, were young and fit players. Our stand in strategist, Hock Leong, pulled the team together and we discussed our game plans over several packets of chwee kueh and kopi kau siu tai. As he wolfed down the chwee kueh, HL spelt out the strategy. "Ok, we must score goals. Then we cannot let them score. Ok?" The team nodded in unison. We understood the tactics. Simon turned to Gan and Teck Wah. "You'll play upfront. Must score goals. Brandon, you cannot let in goals. Chor Guan and Hock Leong, you'll tackle. Leo and Ng, also tackle. See Chiang, Chye, Weng Khong and I will run. Mel, you mark the referee."

And so we trooped onto the pitch. Immediately Teck Wah flew into action, exchanging passes with Gan like Messi and Henry. Chye was also in top form, not making a bad back pass within the first five minutes. Wah, impressive. Team stroked the ball around comfortably like KH when he checks for groin injuries. Grope, grope. ahhhhhhhh. Within the first ten minutes, Gan and Wah went close. Chye and Simon were playing cheeky balls down the middle that beat the last man but was always just a tad too fast for our guys. But you just knew a goal was coming. See Chiang was also his usual marauding self, flying down the left and sending in deep crosses. Off one such move, Wah came in late at the far post and looked like he had lost control with his first touch but faster than you can say, Kopi Kau Siu Tai, he stabed the ball home for our opener. 0-1. By then, the opposing keeper had to make several saves with Chye and Simon letting fly from the middle of the park. The team had skillful players in the middle but they were let down by a forward line that looked like they had spent all night drinking. The hot weather however got to both sides and the game slowed down. Despite many near misses, both teams trooped off without any more goals.

The second half continued at the same slow pace but Marine Sunday began to seize control of the game. At the back, defence held firm, flying in with the usual ball busting tackles. Upfront, Leo came in for Wah and ran his lungs out. After one brilliant and persistant run, he was seen clutching his chest as if they were Amy Yip's bak paus. It was Gan's turn to step up. After a few near misses, he confidently ran past their last man and toe-poked the ball past the onrushing keeper who made several good saves earlier. 0-2. Chye then turned on the style with an audacious run down the middle. His attempted chip was stopped by the keeper's outstretched arms. Simon then went close with a a fierce drive. Marine Sunday was really in the driver's seat. The third goal was a magical moment of inter-passing from the middle to the right before a low pass to the left of the penalty box. I forget how it all started. I believe it was Guan and then Wah who pulled it back for Gan who then passed it to See Chiang. I believe I saw KH running down the flank too. I may be wrong. The keeper was bouncing around the goal line but he knew he was truly beaten by the time See Chiang side-stepped the ball past him. 0-3.

 

The match continued with Marine Sunday's domination before the referee blew the final whistle. Final score 3-0.

 

Man of The Match: Chor Guan (7 out of 13 votes) - A clear winner by some margin:

1. “MOTM- Chor Guan, like all of us, he closed down our younger opponents quickly but with an extra bite. Without CG, opponent could have scored and match result would be different”

2. “chor guan. few good challenge at last line of defend, for our 1st clean sheet since don't know when.....”

3. “Motm - Chor Guan. Chor Guan seems to provide the confidence to the team when he plays. The team seems to be playing better with him around probably because he reads the game well and stablises the defence. Another solid game from him, always cool and calm....even when he appears that he is going to explode, he did not....”

4. “MOTM - Team played well and passes returned. See Chiang was a constant pain down the left, flying pass their right back. Gan and Wah grabbed neat goals and were a constant threat. Chye and Simon were exemplary in the middle. But my vote goes to a defender. Defence played well and kept it tight. Their challenges were full and timely. GUan gets my vote. Good reading and never say die attitude.”

5. “MOTM goes to Chor Guan for his outstanding & leak-proof performance in defence. Almost as good as the last-man-standing when all else fails... guess the clean sheet speaks for his performance. He is The Wall!”

6. “MOM is Chor Guan - On a hot day Chor Guan was all over the pitch and was able to clear many dangerous situations. Most of all , he made some great goal line clearances that helped us to maintain our lead.”

7. “Today was special. I never see Marine Sunday so cheerful and so motivated even when we were facing a good young NUS hall team. We will like a bunch of liberated North Korea Team just qualified for world cup. We fight with courage, we fight with spirit, we are united as a team. MOTM will be extremely hard to identify. But I will like to pinpoint to a particular moment when one of the opponent who had broken through all our defenders and goal-keeper with nothing more to beat except to tap in for a goal at a angle. Chor Guan suddenly was able to chase that opponent down and given a fantastic slide to back that ‘sure-goal’ from the opponent. Definitely a MOTM for that moment!”

Simon weighed in with 2 votes:

1. “Motm is Simon - nice passes”

2. “MOTM 13 Sep: With our keeper making a few wrong decisions, the scoreline suggests one of the defenders should take the MOTM honours today. Our defense did "hold the shape" well but I felt the opponents didn't create any chances for themselves either. I vote for Simon who lasted the whole game and practically a stop sign in midfield to our opponents. Mel again proved his legs can be forced to work magic and Leo displayed his versatility in defence and offense.”

4 players tied at 1 vote each. Nobody will quarrel that with his debut captaincy pip him to the 3rd position. The Rock!

1. “MOTM - My vote goes to the Rock. Good pre-game pep talk, control the game well and a winning start.”

Chwee Leng, Teck Chye and Weng Khong completed the nominations:
1. “motm: Chwee Leng. Counted a least 3 last ditch tackles on the opponents' forwards who were closing in on goal. Kept the opponents from scoring resulting in the first clean sheet in a long time”

2. “MOTM for 13/9 game = Teck Chye.... Dominant the midlfield with his composure, silky touches and excellent vision. Good work rate and involved in the build up for most of the attacking plays.”

3. “Motm to Khong. Followed Rock's instructions to the letter, held position well in tandem with other midfielders to enable the team to retain control of the match throughout.”