ARFC in comfortable victory

Playing its 6th tournament match at the very poor pitch at West Spring SS again, ARFC crushed K-1-K FC 4-1 with an impressive display of team-work.

Needless to say, 77,777 fans packed the venue which caused residents to complain to the authorities. However, there is nothing much the authorities can do as they are also fans of ARFC!!!

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper: Dependable Jinzhong
Right-back: Hard-running Guoxiong
Sweeper: Uncompromising Edwin
Stopper: Towering Toh
Left-back: Left-foot wizard Bernard
Right-mid: Mean-machine Hock
Centre-mid: Influential Sebastian
Centre-mid: Hard-man Tjioe
Left-mid: Dynamic Soon
Striker: Unpredictable Blackburn (captain)
Striker: ARFC scoring legend Haron

Anyone who took a look at our subs bench will surely shiver and beaten mentally. The subs are as follows:

Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
Reliable David
Hardworking Tong
Powerful Alvin
Speedy Hee


ARFC was determined to show that its draw with the same team was a fluke result. Hence, it was no surprise that the warriors came out firing, with Haron and Hock impressing.

In the 17th min, ARFC opened the scoring. Tong, who just came on for Tjioe 77 seconds earlier, threaded a superb through ball right into the heart of their defence. Haron dummied the ball and in came Hock who cut in from the right and steered the ball past their keeper with his left foot.

This goal was his 17th ARFC goal and most significant of all, it is ARFC’s 900th goal in its illustrious history!!!!!

Strangely enough, ARFC was tentative after scoring the first goal. David and Alvin then came on to replace Guoxiong and Blackburn respectively, with Guoxiong having twisted his problematic ankle on the uneven pitch.

In the 2nd half, Elvis came in at right-back with David switching to the left, replacing Bernard. Hee also came on for Haron.

Just 7 mins into the half, ARFC got its second goal, again courtesy of some good work by Hock who terrorized their left-back no end. He latched on to a high ball and nipped ahead of their defender who had no choice but to pull him back, giving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

Sebastian then stepped up to send their keeper the wrong way for his 61st ARFC goal. His reward for scoring? Been replaced by Tjioe immediately.

ARFC added its 3rd goal in the 57th min to effectively killed off the match. Blackburn’s precise corner from the right was met by the on-rushing Soon almost at the edge of their penalty box on the left. Soon connected with a world-class glancing header which flew over their keeper and into the top-right corner of the keeper’s side. Though there was a covering defender, he was unable to prevent Soon from scoring his 9th ARFC goal. 3-0

Edwin then came close but his superb curling free-kick was pushed over the bar by their keeper. From the corner, Toh nearly scored but their keeper again came to the rescue.

In the 77th min, Hee put the result beyond doubt. However, all the good work was done by Tjioe before that as his strength enabled him to muscle his way to the ball and side-footed the ball through the keeper’s legs. With the ball just 0.77 cm from the goal-line, Hee showed his famous speed as he almost came from nowhere to toe-poke the ball home for his 62nd ARFC goal. 4-0.

The opponent then pulled a goal back. 4-1

Sebastian then added more drama to the match when his poor back-pass was intercepted by their striker who rounded Jinzhong and shoot the ball towards the empty net. Sebastian, however, rolled back the good old days when he sprinted in and deflected the ball away for a corner. For the poor back-pass, he received a rollicking from Elvis.

This was a match where every warrior played to his ability. The ARFC defence of Edwin, Toh, Bernard, David, Guoxiong also put in yet another good show, with Edwin and Toh, and later on Elvis, particularly dominating at the heart of the defence. Of course, Hock was again the star performance, and also Alvin, Haron and Hee ensured that their defenders had a torrid time.

Special credit for the good attendance yet again.

The only negative point to emerge from this match is that ARFC paid a heavy price for this victory. David suffered a suspected crack ribs, Guoxiong had a twisted ankle and Jinzhong had a bad kick on his shins. David is confirmed out for this sunday, while Guoxiong and Jinzhong are doubtful.