Luckless ARFC continues winless streak in 2010

Playing a night match at Tampines SAFRA, ARFC continued its winless streak in 2010 after going down to a real-baffling 1-2 defeat at the hands of the Senior Police Officers Mess (SPOM) team in front of its supporters, Anna (Elvis’ wife) and Su + Afiqah, the 2 lovely babes in Haron’s family.

ARFC suffered a crushing blow when Guoxiong had to pull out due to his protracted multi-million negotiation with FIFA on bringing the World Cup matches live to Singapore via his company, Mobile-Hub. Thankfully, the effect was neutralized when Toh and Blackburn managed to make it to the match.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper: Unpredictable Blackburn
Right-back: Influential Sebastian
Sweeper: Astute-reading Elvis
Stopper: Towering Toh
Left-back: Unbeatable Darren
Right-mid: Talisman Derrick
Centre-mid: Hardman Tjioe
Centre-mid: Dynamic Soon
Left-mid: Nippy Kenny
Striker: Powerful Alvin
Striker: ARFC Scoring Legend Haron (captain)

Subs (all except Aaron were late):

Sublime Khim
Guest player Aaron
Guest player Adrian
Guest player Patrick (keeper)

ARFC was really keen to end its winless run in 2010 so far and stated its clear intention from the start by creating chances after chances. However, all the chances were not taken.

Guest keeper Patrick then replaced Blackburn at the 17th-min mark with Derrick going off. Within mins of coming on, SPOM scored after a speculative shot just managed to creep in between the cross-bar and Patrick’s out-stretched hands. 0-1.

ARFC did not let its heads dropped and continued to press the opponents. Again, many chances were created but still not taken. Alvin was put through on a couple of occasions but his hesitancy proved costly.

Haron then executed a slide-rule pass to Sebastian just inside the box but Sebastian’s damaged left-knee let him down as he could not shoot the ball with his left leg and the chance was lost.

7 mins before the break, Khim squared the ball to the on-rushing Sebastian outside the box and his first-time side-footed shot just flew narrowly wide. Unlucky!!

In the 2nd half, ARFC continued where it let off by again creating so many chances. The silver lining looked to have arrived in the 57th min after Alvin, who caused mayhem to the opposing defenders all night, was clumsily pulled down at the left-hand side of the box, giving the referee an easy decision. Sebastian stepped up but his poorly-struck spot-kick was palmed away by their full-body-diving former 1st-choice Police NFL team Gurkha keeper.

ARFC finally equalized in the 67th min. Khim, who gradually came into force as the match progresses, provided a sublimely-piercing through ball right through the centre for Kenny. Kenny came in from deep, broke clear from their back-pedalling defence and powered home a fierce ground shot for his 4th ARFC goal. 1-1 now.

ARFC did not relent but still wasted tons of opportunities with Alvin the chief culprit. However, the positive note is that at least he got into those scoring opportunities but tonight was clearly not his night.

Just mins from the end, ARFC conceded a goal to eventually go down 1-2.

This was a match where ARFC played really well and on a better night, could have gone on to win by at least 5 goals. The opponent owed its victory to their superb keeper who made at least 5 or 6 crucial saves, mostly from Alvin, including Sebastian’s botched penalty.

Night friendly match against Senior Police Officers' Mess team

As part of the lunar new year celebration, a friendly night match has been arranged against the Senior Police Officers' Mess (SPOM) team on:

18 Feb (Thu)
1900 hrs = 7 pm
Tampines SAFRA artificial pitch
Bring both colours

I will send SMS to all for your availability.

Hope to see all of you there.

Happy Lunar New Year

On behalf of ARFC, I wanna wish all ARFC warriors and their loved ones a prosperous lunar new year. May all your wishes come true and most importantly, HUAT AH!!!!!

This is the Tiger Year and from my database, the tigers (and tigeresses) in ARFC are David, Jeffrey and Yvonne, Tong , me and my daughter, Kaizaree Jade-Eden Tan....

Sebastian
ARFC

ARFC falters under Sahara Desert-like weather

Taking on perennial championship winner The OC for the 2nd time in the league, ARFC went down 1-3 under searing heat at the artificial pitch at Bowen SS. Witnessing the loss was fanatical supporter, Anna, wife of Elvis.

ARFC was hit by a spate of unavailability of several 1st-team warriors namely Toh (Hong Kong trip), Hee (KL trip), Ron (work commitment) and goal-keeper Jinzhong (Valentine's Day celebration). Thankfully, Guoxiong sacrificed his house-moving task to turn up. Darren also called up 2 guest players, Yeong and Chuan, to help out and both guest players were to play well in the match.

ARFC started with this line-up:

GK - Unpredictable Blackburn

RB - Hard-running Guoxiong

Sweeper - Astute-reading Elvis

Stopper - Hardman Tjioe

LB - Unbeatable Darren

CM - Dynamic Soon

CM - Influential Sebastian

RM - Talisman Derrick

LM - Nippy Kenny

SC - Powerful Alvin

SC - ARFC scoring legend Haron (captain)

Subs: Ah Yeong and Ah Chuan

The OC started the match well and took most possession with their slick passing. However, the experienced ARFC did not panic and merely stick to its formation and position and was not really threathened by them.

ARFC gradually imposed its presence and began to create chances of its own. The goal finally came when Kenny showed great control and awareness with a clever reverse-through ball to Alvin down the left side. Haron aided when he created confusion by coming back from an off-side position but did not go for the ball. In a flash, Alvin sprinted clear and beat their keeper with the outside right foot for his 115th ARFC goal. 1-0.

Alvin could have doubled his goal tally when he was put thrugh yet again but this time round, his shot was blocked by their keeper's out-stretched legs. Unlucky!!

Alvin was thwarted once again when their keeper made a similar save from Alvin's shot. Unlucky again.

Kenny was next to come close. Off a throw-in by Darren from the left, Derrick touched the ball down in the box and Kenny reacted like Usain Bolt to thunder a venomous volley that flew just over the bar. Tjioe immediately shouted "goal" as he thought that the ball had gone in.

The OC began its relentless search for the equaliser and it finally arrived on the stroke of half-time. A corner was half-cleared and their player volleyed home from 27 metres after ARFC failed to block the shot. 1-1.

Right after the goal, the referee blew for half-time.

The 2nd half was a ding-dong affairs but The OC took the lead after Tjioe, who had a superb match at stopper, turned in an own goal. Real unlucky!!! 1-2.

ARFC could have equalised. First, Tjioe glanced Sebstian's precise free-kick just narrowly wide (think just missed by 0.77 cm). Then, Alvin did well on the left flank and floated in a cross that eluded everyone but Yeong's header was blocked on the goal-line by their defender.

Chuan then wriggled his way down the right touch-line all the way into the penalty box but his square ball to the waiting Alvin was unfortunately cleared by their defender.

Haron was next to be the unlucky one. Chasing a long through ball, he reached the ball first and nipped it away from their on-rushing keeper. Unfortunately, the ball rolled too far ahead for him to chase and the ball went out for a goal-kick.

By the 70th min, the aging warriors were all gasping for breath and The OC then took almost full control. It was hence no surprise that they scored their 3rd goal from a break-away chance. 1-3.

Blackburn did well playing as a "part-time" keeper with his clever reading of the match by coming out for several through balls. ARFC's defence of Elvis, Tjioe, Guoxiong, Darren, and later Derrick (1st time playing right-back) and Sebastian (probably first time playing stopper when Tjioe tired out) played their hearts out. Alvin also did well, as did both guest players.

Man-of-the-match has to be Tjioe for his lion-hearted performance ala John Terry. He soldiered on despite taking so many knocks but finally left the field in the 70th min mark.

8th league match details

07 February 2010 (Sun)
3 pm = 1500 hrs
Bowen Secondary School (artificial pitch)
Against The OC
Bring both colours

Pls e-mail Sebastian of your availability. Thanks much!