Match #52 (9 Dec 2012): It all happened at the end!

With only 12 today, our job was made more enviable with an opponent who had the luxury to field two teams. Nevertheless, we stuck to the task but it required a huge effort at the end. It didn't seem so at the start when we dominated possession and chances, though MACOM (short for Majority Chinese One Malay, the latter being the player they most depended on playmaking) was fortunate to live by the skin of their teeth. We eventually took the lead in the first half when Delap Khong's throw was handled in the box. He took responsibility for the penalty and scored from the rebound after the initial effort was saved. ROI for new Nike boots was doubled immediately.

MACOM gave us a surprise in the second half. Not only did they continue to restrict us, they scored two quick-fire goals near the end to take the lead. We equalized after some hard work from Chiang to win the ball and passing it to Simon to conjure a defence-splitting chip for Gan to chest it down majestically before slipping it past the keeper. We continued the pressure and were rewarded when Gan won the ball from their goal kick and released Wah who cut in and smashed a grounder to put us ahead. It ended 3-2, much to the disappointment of MACOM which was super hyped up just moments ago.

Match #51 (2 Dec 2012): We Could Also Grind Out A Win, Though Undeservingly

Tornado Singhs are the type of opponent we fear most, a team comprising a few veterans who command on the field and supplemented by young, skilful players to run us ragged. Quality aside, they also outnumbered us with 16 players against us, a bare bone 13 and 2 of which, See Chiang and Kok Hock, had to play through pain barrier and our topshot had to retire early due to cramps from overstretched limbs. In fact, everyone of the 13 was overstretched to the limit. Hats off to these magnificent 13!

TS started with 1 man short but still commanded the possession of play. Their right-winger tormented us throughout 1st half with his trickery and pin-point crosses. Brandon was at his better than best today to keep TS at bay with numerous top-class saves and brave punches to deal with the crosses.

Against the run of play, we stole the lead. Teck Wah set up Mike for our opening goal. Then, sloppiness at our rear end presented them with an equaliser. Teck Wah then beat the offside line to put us in the lead before the break. Before that, he hit the post once and TS hit our framework twice.

TS equalised early in 2nd half and piled non-stop pressure on us thereafter. They could have easily won the match. Brandon was the main reason why they didn't but the real culprit was their left-winger who was show-boating too much. After rounding Brandon and facing an open goal, he chose to round off Gan instead, only for the latter to stick out his leg to block the dribble and Brandon recovered to collect the ball.

Against all odds, we were gifted with our winning goal. Their last man, after seeing Woon off, chose to pass the ball across the penalty box but it reached Weng Khong instead. He took no further delay to deal with the gift and put the ball into the net with his left foot. Mike celebrated with an I-polish-your-boots for Weng Khong, to much disbelief of TS.

A win is a win. We didn't tell them not to beat us, did we?

Match #50 (25 Nov 2012): Sunday Derby Episode 3 - They Were Getting Better But Same Outcome.

Episode 3 of the Sunday derby ended with the same outcome although the scoreline didn't look as convincing as the 1st 2 encounters. But we could have bettered the previous scoreline, had it not been their keeper's heroics in the 2nd half and the referee's dubious decisions in the 1st half to judge KH offside when he clearly beat the line and then deny Gan a crystal-clear penalty when he was blatantly brought down by their keeper. The referee did apologise to KH for the error during the break but it couldn't be undone.

Opening encounter was very edgy and we had to rely on their defensive errors to get our 1st 2 goals in the 1st half. Teck Chye capitalised on a poor clearance and went on to find the net. Sunday FC's last man further compounded their misery when he converted Teck Wah's teasing cross into an own goal. Mike widened the lead in early 2nd half when he jumped well to nod KH's corner for our 3rd goal before our sloppiness at the back gifted Sunday FC's 1st goal. Teck Chye then rounded the keeper before setting Gan up for our 4th goal and Sunday FC responded with a brilliant piece of work in tight space in our box and their chief striker reduced the deficit.

A satisfying 4-2 win nevertheless, despite a smaller margin this time round.

Match #49 (18 Nov 2012): Finished off FFF

Another young team, another inevitable outcome. Both sides had sufficient numbers to cope with the Sunday scorching sun, still players were pleased to be substituted. In contrast to AVB's claim that Spurs were in control in last night's north London derby from first minute to the last, we clearly were dominant in the first half. Kok Hock scored from a free kick near the corner post and Chye smashed one smartly into the bottom corner after a clever lay-off from brother Wah.  That we did not score more was our way of making life exciting for ourselves. 

Second half saw a spirited fight back from FFF. They scored through a well taken free kick and then equalized after some eye-catching exchange of passes. The game was poised nicely on knife edge as FFF was clearly freely and fanatically fired-up whilst our old heads contemplated how to wrest back the initiative. Yet, under the searing heat, play from both sides was stuttering rather than purring and it became clear that it a moment of magic would determine the direction of the match. It came from a long defence-splitting pass from inside our half played with the outside of the foot which allowed Chye to stride in, round the keeper and stroke the ball into the net. Wah then made the game safe with a thumping header after Mel had created the space to free Gan to deliver the superb cross. 

A satisfying 4-2 win. 

Match #48 (11 Nov 2012): We Removed The Sting Out of Venom

Against one of our regular opponents, Venom, which comprises mostly a bunch of ex-Commandos and hence the team name with a scorpion as insignia, with the unbearable heat, and absence of a few regular players, we were mostly at the receiving end throughout the match. But for all their lion share of the possession, they only managed to get into our box twice and each time they were close to scoring. Apart from those couple of golden chances, they resorted to shooting from distance which Brandon had no real issue dealing with them. Then we dished out a couple of sucker punches in 2nd half from our hotshot Teck Wah - one directly from a corner and his second went through keeper's legs - and Venom knew it just wasn't their day. Very certain they have revenge in their mind when we meet again next week.

Marine Sunday 2: Venom 0

Match #47 (4 Nov 2012): Made Whirlwind Wanderers Wonder

Our youngest player Gan used to play for Whirlwind Wanderers and since then they have rejuvenated. How doubly old we are comparatively. Yet, as usual, we thrive on such opportunities to defy old age.

WW was never a threat in the first half as we controlled the tempo despite the hot sun. Gan put us in the lead which was extended by Wah. Mel's teasing corner curved over the keeper and we thought we were in cruise control. A lapse allowed WW into the match and they enthusiastically attempted a fightback. Then another goal - cue players rushing into the net to pick the ball out and put it in the centre circle.

Was a capitulation on the cards? We regained the initiative with some composed play and a cross field ball found Wah who lobbed the keeper with finesse. That broke WW's spirited endeavor. Final score 4-2.                          

Match #46 (27 Oct 2012): Dug Deep To Carve Out A Fantastic Victory

With only 12 players (including one with 2 left feet, one with 'handicapped' right foot and one 14-years old boy), we dug deep to score a fantastic 3-0 win over Orangee, who had 17 turnouts and half the team comprising young Malay players to augment the older Chinese (but still younger than us) folks, and in the process, we certainly stood heads and shoulders above them.

Mike broke the duck early in the match when he latched onto KH's knockdown and whipped a shot past Orangee's keeper. Teck Wah and Mike had further chances to threaten Orangee's goal but Mike was the greater culprit. With the keeper on the ground and an empty goal, Mike chose to pass instead of attempting a shot at goal. Our backline was rock solid, despite playing without any backup. Rock, Chwee Leng, Chung Wen and Ng marshalled the line superbly and dealt with Orangee's forays comfortably. We ended the half with a slender 1-0 lead.

Expecting an onslaught from them and mindful of our limited and depleted resources, we opted for a defensive lineup in the 2nd half, depending on the 14-years old boy, Alex's energy to trouble whatever he could. Our 2nd goal came from a typical counter-attack with just 3 players up front. Teck Wah, on the right, reacted to KH's call and sent the ball across the pitch to the opposite flank, with KH galloping down to meet the ball but his cross was handled by Orangee's clumsy defender and referee had no hesitation to point to the spot. Weng Khong coolly made it count, despite having to retake it after his first attempt was disallowed by the referee.

We sat back to absorb and relied on counter-attack to trouble them. Teck Wah got our 3rd goal, his first attempt at point-blank was blocked by their keeper but he followed up on the rebound for our 3rd goal. Alex had a glorious chance to score our 4th but, in order not to out-score and embarrass his father, he chose to fluff the golden opportunity and so he remains 1-goal behind his father on our scoring chart.

Final score: Marine Sunday 3 : Orangee 0