Goal of the Season from Blackburn in easy win

Playing a morning match for the 1st time since more than 10 years ago, ARFC walloped the ST Engineering team 10-3 at Tampines SAFRA on the back of a Man-of-the-Match performance from Blackburn who scored the goal of the season so far.

As the match was played at 9 am, no WAGS were around to support this ARFC’s easy win. However, the 77,777 supporters were treated to a feast of goals from the team. The bonus was that they got to see sublime Khim play as he made a last-min appearance.

On behalf of ARFC, Sebastian officially welcomed 3 new recruits into the team – Wayne, Norman and Tze Ern.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper: Talisman Derrick
Right-back: Hard-running Guoxiong
Sweeper: Towering Toh
Stopper: Wayne
Left-back: Unbeatable Darren
Right-mid: Dynamic Soon
Centre-mid: Influential Sebastian
Centre-mid: Hard-man Tjioe
Left-mid: Sublime Khim
Striker: Unpredictable Blackburn
Striker: Powerful Alvin

Subs:

Combative Ron
Tze Ern
Norman
Yeong

The ST Engineering team started well but was quickly pegged back by the irrepressible ARFC warriors with Alvin and Blackburn particularly impressive at closing down the opponents.

It was from such pressing that ARFC opened the flood-gates in the 7th min. Their keeper cleared the ball after some pressure from both Blackburn and Alvin. The ball was cleared to about 37 metres from his goal and was picked up by Tjioe. Despite being spotted drunk with 3 PRC ladies at Dragonfly just hours before the match, Tjioe showed no signed of drunkness when he side-footed the ball which sailed over their entire defence including their keeper for his 56th ARFC goal. 1-0

Immediately after his Xabi Alonso-like goal, Tjioe screamed “I want to be a Liverpool supporter from now on!”

ARFC doubled its lead moments later. Sebastian chipped in a long ball down the left flank for Alvin to latch on. Powering into the box and could have scored himself, Alvin was not selfish when he squared the ball across for Blackburn to tap in his 90th ARFC goal. 2-0

Guoxiong then exchanged one-two with Blackburn and embarked on a lung-bursting run down the right flank. His precise cross was gleefully side-footed home by Alvin for his 128th ARFC goal. 3-0

Blackburn then created another goal when his delicate chip found Khim moving in from deep. Khim got ahead of their on-rushing keeper and lifted the ball over him for his 44th ARFC goal. 4-0. However, Khim suffered a kick on his chest ala Nigel De Jong’s karate-kid kick on Xabi Alonso in the recent World Cup final, and had 3 stud marks to show his lovely wife and children at home.

ARFC then turned complacent and conceded a goal. 4-1

Soon was next to get into the scoring act when he picked up a loose ball 27 metres from goal. Looking up, Soon executed a shot that flew over their keeper for his 33rd ARFC goal. 5-1

Thereafter, Yeong replaced Alvin and staged his own hat-trick show with 3 world-class strikes that gave any keeper in the world no chance at all! These 3 goals were his 4th, 5th and 6th ARFC goal. With the hat-trick, Yeong joined a selective band of hat-trick heroes in ARFC.

Half-time 8-1

In the break, Sebastian did the craziest thing when he offered 3 power players, Norman, Tze Ern and Yeong, to the opponents as they were short of players and fitness. The gesture immediately balanced the match in the 2nd half as the opponents scored 2 more goals.

It was then that Alvin and Derrick began their “circus act” when they tried to out-do each other on entering the “Hall of Flame of Missed Chances”. Derrick had at least 3 one-on-one opportunities spurned while Alvin missed from just 0.77 metres from goal ala Yakubu in Nigeria’s match against South Korea.

Seeing the host of missed chances, Blackburn decided to show them how to score instead of his usual scolding by netting the goal of the season. From his right-back position, Blackburn brought the ball up and exchanged wall-passes with Sebastian at the centre mid area. Continuing, Blackburn then one-two with Derrick outside the penalty box, and brought the ball all the way right up to just outside the 6-yard area. Seeing the keeper off rushing out, Blackburn delivered the deftest of touches and the ball rolled past the keeper and rolled into the empty net at 7 km/hr for his 91st ARFC goal. 9-3

After seeing the goal, Derrick finally re-discovered his scoring touch when he was put through by Khim and duly planted the ball past their keeper for his 27th ARFC goal. 10-3

Once again, good turnout which was good considering the scorching sun. Also, special credit to both Derrick and Darren for volunteering to be keeper in each half.

As mentioned earlier, Man-of-the-Match is clearly Blackburn.

friendly match details - Sunday morning

Dear ARFC warriors,

We are playing a friend match this sunday as follows:

25 July 2010 (Sun)
9 am = 0900 hrs (MORNING)
Tampines SAFRA
Opponent is ST Engineering

Pls e-mail to Toh and Sebastian of your availability.

Pls bring both jerseys sets.

Thanks a lot

ARFC's deadly duo inspires victory

Courtesy of two brilliant strikes from the deadly duo of Alvin and Haron, ARFC continued its 100% winning start to the D2D league with an easy 2-1 win over New Easteroids. It was an easy win because ARFC was denied time and again by their goalkeeper who kept out at least 4 or 5 certain goals.

ARFC’s victory was witnessed by Anna (Elvis’ wife), Cerine (Jinzhong’s potential wife) and Irene, the newly-minted wife of Alvin. As usual, Sebastian brought along his vuvuzela to support ARFC.

ARFC started with this all-star line-up:

Keeper: Dependable Jinzhong (captain)
Right-back: Hard-running Guoxiong
Sweeper: Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
Stopper: Towering Toh
Left-back: Unpredictable Blackburn
Right-mid: Talisman Derrick
Centre-mid: Dynamic Soon
Centre-mid: Hard-man Tjioe
Left-mid: Nippy Kenny
Striker: ARFC Scoring Legend Haron
Striker: Powerful Alvin

Subs:

Influential Sebastian
Combative Ron
Speedy Hee
Tze En
Wayne

ARFC wasted no time in dominating play with some clever passing, movement and support. The match was just 7 mins old when Tjioe reminded everyone of his box-to-box strength when he embarked on a 47-metres run from midfield all the way to face their keeper one-on-one. Unfortunately, his shot was deflected away for a corner.

Toh also came close with 2 headers that just flashed wide, while Blackburn and Kenny were having a field day at the left – Kenny was particularly dangerous with his incisive runs down the left flank.

In the 17th min, Guoxiong powered down the right flank and delivered a cross that bounced off the cross-bar. Haron followed up but to no avail.
After a couple of near-misses, ARFC finally opened the scoring 7 mins later. Elvis long high ball from his position was only partially headed backwards by their defender. Coming from behind and without breaking his stride, Alvin duly and expertly volleyed the ball home for his 127th ARFC goal. 1-0. Upon seeing the brilliant goal, Irene was spotted rounding round the field 7 rounds. Marco van Basten, who was watching from his stands, stood up in salute to Alvin’s goal.

ARFC doubled the lead just 7 mins later. Showing quick feet, Haron mesmerized the opponents by slaloming his way past their defenders and cooly slotted the ball home for his 162nd ARFC goal. Truly world-class dribble and goal that have Messi salivating. 2-0

Credit must be given to Jinzhong for saving ARFC on 2 occasions after some sloppy defending nearly gifted the opponents a goal or two.

In the 2nd half, ARFC could not extend its lead despite creating many chances. The most unlucky chance came in the 57th min after Haron tricked his way down the left bye-line. Squaring the ball across for the unmarked Soon, Soon’s shot was somehow kicked away by their keeper! Totally unlucky!

With virtually the last kick of the match, the opponents scored. 1-2

This was a match where ARFC could not capitalize on its dominance to create a bigger winning margin. However, a win is still priceless.

Special mention too on the good turn-out yet again. Hopefully, we can continue to have such good attendance for every match. Also, ARFC did not receive a single yellow card despite being provoked on a couple of occasions. This is very good.

Man-of-the-Match is jointly given to Jinzhong (for his saves) and Haron (for his intelligent movement and world-class goal).

3rd tournament match details

Dear ARFC warriors,

Our 3rd tournament match details:

11 July 2010 (Sun)
3 pm
Serangoon Sec Sch
Opponent is New Eastroids
Bring both colours

Pls e-mail to Toh of your availability....Thanks so much!

7 cheers to Mr Azahari of D2D

Dear ARFC warriors,

Due to a "super cock-up" by the Singapore Sports Council, tournament organiser IC Mr Azahari was informed late by SSC of the cancellation of our match against team Kangtao last sunday. To Mr Azahari's credit, he took all the blame and quickly remedied the situation by giving our team a FOC match this coming Sunday.

For this kind gesture, I think ARFC should give 7 cheers to Mr Azahari and 7777 boos to the Singapore Sports Council for such irresponsible behaviour.....