Match #48 (1 Dec 2013): Spirited display but we lost on just the odd key moments

For sake of reference, opponents wearing white top with red hoops shall be called QPR. Comprising a fine mix of old and young, they are a team very confident on the ball. Their early composure helped them to a two goal lead though we had created more chances. Then we had a lampardesque moment when our scorcher from way outside the box left the keeper completely rooted, crashed against the underside of the bar, crossed the line and spinned back towards the grateful arms of the keeper.

The cruel decision not to award the clear goal at that stage meant we had to summoned the renown MS spirit for the second half. Pressing like footballers possessed, we subdued QPR with pacey and breathtaking approach play. It looked like there was only to be one winner when we equalised through Mike and Chye (penalty earned by Gan). QPR was quaking pissing and rocking under the incessant pressure. Gan was to earned us another stone cold penalty as QPR's defenders couldn't cope with his excellent hold-up play. This time, our penalty was well saved by the keeper.

That was to haunt us as QPR earned a corner in one of their rare potent attacks. Their agile striker eluded the attentions of our unlucky fella whose goal was not recognised earlier, and planted a firm header to give them the winning goal.

Bottom line - one that got away, but the MS spirit was worth savouring.

Match #45 (10 Nov 2013): A Stylish 3-1 Win Over The Hair-Stylists

Salon One are a respectable team comprising veterans who sure know how to play football. They did come close on several occasions but luck must have deserted them. Notwithstanding, we were worthy 3-1 winners out of this duel as we just had as many, if not more, goal-scoring chances as them. Mike was both hero-villain for us, notching our first goal in the first half before a poor giveaway in the 2nd half led to their equalising goal. Then a couple of cool finishing from the Tang brothers beat their stylish keeper and settled the issue.

But the most memorable moment came from See Chiang's glaring miss after beating Salon One's keeper to the ball and with the goal wide open, he placed the ball wide. Now we know why he is never successful with the Xiao-Mei-Mei :)

match #44 (3 Nov 2013): Marine Sunday vs KOP - 2nd Leg: We Proved Our Worth

Coincidentally, we lined up against Kop for 2nd week in a row and we showed last match's 1-1 draw was a hiccup on our part as we ran out worthy 6-3 winner in this "2nd-leg" match. Yes, 4 of our 6 goals were gifted by their schoolboy defensive blunders but we didn't ask for those, did we? We capitalized on those blunders, shouldn't we?

But Kop were no pushovers. While we had Teck Wah at his predatory best today, notching a hat-trick by punishing them dearly on those defensive blunders, Kop had in their No 9 a sure-footed striker who scored a brace and had an assist in their other goal.

Chor Guan (penalty), Mike and Kama completed the repertoire for us in a match that wasn't pleasing to the football purists. There was hardly any passing from both sides. It was more like a primary school football match with both sides simply booting the ball forward and hoping for the best.

An ugly match but a beautiful win for us :)

Match #43 (27 Oct 2013): All The Misses Caused The 1-1 Draw

We should have buried Kop 12 feet under given the number of misses we had. Kian Hwa was the biggest culprit, with 4 open-goal opportunities at his mercy but fluffed them all. Both goals were of superb quality that were worth watching repeatedly. Simon intercepted a ball from midfield and, spotting the keeper out of position, produced a delicate chip over the stranded keeper to keep us at 1-0 lead at the break. But Kop's equalising goal wasn't any inferior compared to Daniel Sturridge's audacious chip in the match against WBA. Meeting a cross from the right, their No 1 danger man leaped high and cushioned the ball with his cultured left foot to lob it over Brandon.

The match degenerated into a physical encounter but both shared the spoils.

Match #42 (13 Oct 2013): Family United Lost But They Won Big-Time In Family Spirit. They Remain Family United!

I was told post-match that there were 7 brothers among the Opponent and those 4 women at the sideline were their sisters! Wow, 11 siblings and they still remain so close at their age. Very admirable. Sure, they lost the match big time to us. 10-nil....but they had won big, very big in terms of family tie.

Simon (3), Chor Guan (2), Kama, Mike, Teck Chye, Kian Hwa, Woon scored the 10 goals but no way did we dent the love among their 11 siblings :)

Match #41 (6 Oct 2013): Question Marks Had A Lot To Answer

When a team is named Question Marks, either they are casting doubt on their opponents or they have been searching for answers. Today, they might have been enlightened by a bunch of mid-life crisis folks who overran them 7-1.

Yes, the goal conceded was a sore point in an otherwise thoroughly perfect outing. If KH had not missed the sitter less than half-a-meter from the open goal, it would have been the lucky eight.

Mike put in a top-form display and notched 2 goals, Gan also notched a brace and a goal each from Teck Wah, Kama, Simon completed the misery for Question Marks. Question, anyone?

Match #40 (29 Sep 2013): KTGL!

Our performance and result today fell into Quadrant 2 of my Result Interpretation matrix (see attached pic).....KTGL - Kio Tio Gu Lan (Pick Up a Bull's Ball).

We narrowly beat Perfect 2-1 and of course we had who else but Teck Wah to put in the winning goal for us. But the match was really won by our rear guards. Gan, as stand-in keeper in 1st half, blocked a one-on-one when the match was not even 1 minute old. And then, he recovered brilliantly, after thoroughly wrong-footed by Chwee Leng's back header, to claw the ball away just 5 cm from goal! Brandon, arrived in time for 2nd half, produced 4 stupendous one-on-one saves to keep us alive. And Chor Guan blocked a certain goal on goal line and later when Perfect launched a quick counter-attack, he coolly organised Chwee Leng to cover him while he went to close down their playmaker and close down he did. Chwee Leng was at his tenacious best in the 2nd half, battling 4 players and even won a free-kick out of it. See Chiang, though rusty and frequently out of position, produced one vital block to prevent Perfect's striker from taking a shot at goal in the box. And not forgetting our two evergreens - Leo and Ng, who ran their hearts and lungs out trying to contain their wing play.

Our first goal came from their defender as he deflected Teck Wah's cross and wrong-footed his keeper. Perfect equalised in the 2nd half after putting us under tremendous pressure in the opening 20 minutes of 2nd half. Though Teck Wah settled the match for us, I am sure everyone would pay tribute to our guys at the back! :)