On Mother’s Day, ARFC played to a convincing 5-1 win over Raven FC at the last-minute re-arranged pitch at Regent Secondary School. Witnessing the win were the WAGS of Elvis, Jinzhong and Guoxiong.
ARFC started with this line-up:
ARFC started with this line-up:
GK - Dependable Jinzhong
RB - Hard-running Guoxiong
Sweeper - Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
Stopper - Towering Toh
LB - Unbeatable Darren
RM - Talisman Derrick
CM - Dynamic Soon
CM - Unpredictable Blackburn
LM - Nippy Kenny
SC - Powerful Alvin
SC - ARFC Scoring Legend Haron (captain)
Subs:
Hard-man Tjioe
Combative Ron (Late as he got to make a U-Turn from Eunos to CCK)
During the pre-match pep talk, Toh conveyed the message to the rest of the warriors that Caren, wife of Influential Sebastian, was in labour ward at the point of time and we could all give Sebastian and his family a gift by winning the game for them. All the warriors duly obliged as a solid display and comfortable win was to follow.
The game was about 15 minutes old when ARFC drew first blood. Off a short pass from defence, Blackburn sent a delicious chip over the opponent’s defence to send Haron racing through to face the opponent’s keeper one-on-one. Predictably and seeing the keeper advancing out of his line, Haron nonchalently looped the ball over him for his 159th ARFC goal. 1-0!
Barely another 15 minutes later, Derrick showed flashes of what he is capable of by taking on the defender in the box. He showed great speed and skill to push the ball past the defender, only to be brought down by the out-stretched leg of the defender’s late challenge. The referee had the easiest of decisions to point to the spot. Up stepped Blackburn to take the penalty, though not his duty to do so as Haron is the appointed penatly-taker, and he actually ballooned the ball into row Z. Absolutely unpredictable as no one predicted him to miss and even the scoreboard had changed to 2-0 in anticipation!
Both Tjioe and Ron came in for Blackburn and Elvis, who took a slight knock on his ankle while bravely snuffing out the opponent’s attack. As half time approached, the score looked likely to remain 1-0 as chances to kill off the game were not taken. True enough. HT:1-0.
During the half-time team talk, Tjioe, Haron and Toh all recognised that chances were abundant in the first half but were not taken. Finishing in front of goal needed to be improved in the 2nd half.
The reflection seemed to work as within minutes of the start of 2nd half, ARFC went 2-0 up. Architect of the goal was who else, but Blackburn again. He was sent running down to the byeline, before delivering a delicious cross into the box for who else but Haron who thumped the ball low and beyond the keeper into the corner of the net for his 160th ARFC goal. Absolutely classy!!
With the early goal in the 2nd half, ARFC gained further control of the game and played some lovely passing football. Less than 15 minutes later, Blackburn was to be the architect of a well-crafted goal again when he chipped in a perfectly weighted ball for the onrushing Alvin who chested the ball down nicely on the run to face the keeper one-on-one again. In spite of the disruptive “steady” shouts from Blackburn, Alvin showed great composure to sidefoot the ball under the body of the diving keeper to bulge the net for his 121st ARFC goal. 3-0!
At this point of time, ARFC started to turn complacent and allowed the opponent to pull a goal back via some slack defending from the midfield and defence. Thankfully, this serves as a wake-up call to ARFC that the game was not over until the final whistle. 3-1.
From the restart, ARFC regained the attacking composure and off a delicate chip from defence, Blackburn broke the offside trap as he coolly cushioned down the ball. With a good 15 metres outside the penalty box, without even considering to bring the ball closer to goal, and determined to make up for his missed penalty earlier, he unleashed a volley past the stranded keeper, into the top corner of the goal for his 88th ARFC goal. World class! Really unpredictable! 4-1!
ARFC was not done yet. With less than 15 minutes of the game left, ARFC stamped its class by delivering the final blow to the opponent with some slick passing. With the ball played through, should be by Blackburn again, Tjioe surged pass the opponent’s defence. He then unselfishly passes the ball to Alvin, who then unselfishly laid the ball to the onrushing Kenny to nip the ball past the helpless keeper for his 5th ARFC goal. Television replays showed that the ball have been passed around 15 times within ARFC warriors before Kenny put it into the net. 5-1!
The referee finally blew the whistle to signify the end of the game and the opponent was glad that he did as it was a game where ARFC was in total control and looked likely to add in more goals if given more time.
It was a game where all ARFC warriors played well as a team from defence to attack, barring the moment of complacency that allowed the opponent to pull a goal back. All the warriors were happy that they had delivered the perfect gift to Sebastian and family as wished.
Man of the match goes to Blackburn for despite missing a penalty, was not affected by the setback and turned out to be the chief architect in almost all the goals, including scoring a spectacular volley himself. Due to the penalty miss, he will be barred from taking any penalties for 15 matches.
Once again, a fine game by ARFC dedicated to Sebastian and wife, Caren, and lovely daughter, Kaizaree Jade-Eden Tan (that is one person, no mistake) and all the WAGS and mothers out there. Happy Mother’s Day!
From the restart, ARFC regained the attacking composure and off a delicate chip from defence, Blackburn broke the offside trap as he coolly cushioned down the ball. With a good 15 metres outside the penalty box, without even considering to bring the ball closer to goal, and determined to make up for his missed penalty earlier, he unleashed a volley past the stranded keeper, into the top corner of the goal for his 88th ARFC goal. World class! Really unpredictable! 4-1!
ARFC was not done yet. With less than 15 minutes of the game left, ARFC stamped its class by delivering the final blow to the opponent with some slick passing. With the ball played through, should be by Blackburn again, Tjioe surged pass the opponent’s defence. He then unselfishly passes the ball to Alvin, who then unselfishly laid the ball to the onrushing Kenny to nip the ball past the helpless keeper for his 5th ARFC goal. Television replays showed that the ball have been passed around 15 times within ARFC warriors before Kenny put it into the net. 5-1!
The referee finally blew the whistle to signify the end of the game and the opponent was glad that he did as it was a game where ARFC was in total control and looked likely to add in more goals if given more time.
It was a game where all ARFC warriors played well as a team from defence to attack, barring the moment of complacency that allowed the opponent to pull a goal back. All the warriors were happy that they had delivered the perfect gift to Sebastian and family as wished.
Man of the match goes to Blackburn for despite missing a penalty, was not affected by the setback and turned out to be the chief architect in almost all the goals, including scoring a spectacular volley himself. Due to the penalty miss, he will be barred from taking any penalties for 15 matches.
Once again, a fine game by ARFC dedicated to Sebastian and wife, Caren, and lovely daughter, Kaizaree Jade-Eden Tan (that is one person, no mistake) and all the WAGS and mothers out there. Happy Mother’s Day!
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