After a 3-week hiatus, ARFC resumed its weekly Sunday match by comprehensively dismissing Wanderers, a team from the Equatorial Football League, 3-1 on the back of a Man-of-the-Match performance from Tjioe.
Credit to Seh Meng, Toh and Tze Ern for turning up despite playing a tough match for their team in the morning. Guoxiong also made a last-min appearance after turning down a hot date with Tracie.
ARFC started with this 10-warrior line-up first as some warriors were late:
Keeper: Powerful Alvin
Right-back: Influential Sebastian
Sweeper: Combative Ron
Stopper: Towering Toh
Left-back: Wonder Wayne
Right-mid: Dynamic Soon
Centre-mid: Steely Tze Ern
Centre-mid: Hard-man Tjioe
Left-mid: Sublime Khim
Striker: Unpredictable Blackburn (captain)
Subs (all late):
Unbeatable Darren
Talented Chun Haw
Marauding Guoxiong
Talisman Derrick
Seh Meng (guest player)
Absent:
Speedy Hee
Precocious En Dian
Nippy Kenny
Long-throw specialist Norman
ARFC Scoring Legend Haron
Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
Dependable Jinzhong
Being the first match in 3 weeks, all ARFC warriors started with plenty of fire in their bellies and quickly stamped their authority in the match with Tjioe at the heart of things. Within mins, Tjioe executed a volley that flew narrowly wide.
ARFC took the lead in the 7th min. Tjioe did well to wriggle his way into the penalty box but he was clumsily upended by their defender, giving the referee an easy decision to award a penalty. Blackburn shrugged Sebastian aside and fired past their keeper from the spot for his 97th ARFC goal. 1-0
Seh Meng then took over Alvin in goal and Alvin moved to partner Blackburn.
Sebastian then linked up well with Blackburn and chipped in a delicious-looking ball to Alvin who however came up with a meek effort under pressure from their defender.
Guoxiong then replaced Sebastian at right-back.
ARFC doubled its lead in the 20th min. Blackburn, who played really well for this match, swung in a precise cross from the right flank. Alvin connected well and showed great awareness by heading the ball back into the 6-yard area and there was Toh who scored with a brilliant stooping header for his 47th ARFC goal. 2-0 and Toh’s goal put him on level terms with Khim.
Toh’s reward for scoring? Replaced by Chun Haw immediately!
ARFC continued pressing for a 3rd goal but could not find a way despite creating several good chances. Over at our defence side, Wayne did well despite being under pressure by the opponents which seemed to put heavy emphasis on their right side.
Overall in the 1st half, Seh Meng virtually had nothing to do thanks to sterling defence work as well as the incessant closing down by Tze Ern, Soon, Khim and Tjioe.
Derrick and Darren arrived during half-time and quickly took the places of Khim and Soon respectively.
Derrick made an immediate impact when he dribbled his way into the box only to be upended by their defender. The referee correctly blew for a penalty and Blackburn stepped up again to beat their keeper at exactly the same spot. 3-0 and it was Blackburn’s 98th ARFC goal.
The opponents then pulled a goal back. 1-3
After their goal, the opponents seemed hell bent on inflicting injuries on ARFC warriors when they came up with several violent tackles, some of which were totally off-the-ball. Particularly, Alvin suffered a heavy bruise at his ankle but the referee missed the foul.
Derrcik again created another penalty when he was put through by Darren but their sweeper came sliding in and brought down Derrick. After some strong protests, Blackburn stepped up and “deliberately” drilled his shot wide. His miss caused him to miss out on repeating Liverpool legend Jan Molby’s penalty-treble feat in a 1986 league match against Coventry City.
After some more misses, ARFC had to settle for n easy 3-1 victory.
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