Ron's rare brace in thumping 8-2 win

Playing in a very small artificial pitch at Kent Ridge SS, ARFC destroyed D’Marissa Utd 8-2 to records ARFC’s biggest win in the league this season.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper             -           Dependable Jinzhong

Right-back       -           Marauding Guoxiong

Sweeper           -           Astute-reading sweeper Elvis

Stopper            -           Combative Ron

Left-back         -           Unbeatable Darren

Left-mid          -           Unpredictable Blackburn

Centre-mid       -           Dynamic Soon

Centre-mid       -           Hard-man Tjioe

Right-mid         -           Talisman Derrick

Striker              -           Powerful Alvin (captain)

Striker              -           ARFC Scoring Legend Haron

Subs (all late):

Sublime Khim (late)

Towering Toh (late)

Wonder Wayne

Speedy Hee

Jasper

Weilit

Absent:

Influential Sebastian

Steely Tze Ern

Mean-machine Hock

Talented Chun Haw

Long-throw specialist Norman

Precocious En Dian

Nippy Kenny

Due to the extremely small pitch, there was not much space for ARFC to play its passing game but still nevertheless dominate proceedings.

ARFC drew first blood from its first corner. Blackburn’s vicious ball flew across goal but no warriors manage to connect. However, the ever-alert Haron cut the ball back in and from 3.7 metres out, Ron headed in his 5^th ARFC goal. 1-0

ARFC doubled its lead soon after. From a missile-like throw-in from Darren, chaotic scenes ensued in the box. Soon, in a rare acrobatic move, hooked in a standing bicycle-kick, almost similar to V. Sundram Moorthy’s goal against Brunei in the 1993 Malaysia Cup match for his 41^st ARFC goal. 2-0

Toh, Wayne, Hee and Khim then came in for Elvis, Soon, Derrick and Blackburn respectively.

The changes did not slow ARFC down. In fact, it resulted in another goal. From yet another Darren’s booming throw-in, Alvin held the ball well and laid on for the in-coming Toh. Dismissing the myth that he could only score with his head, Toh took a great first-touch before rifling the ball into the net for his 59^th ARFC goal. 3-0. With this goal, Toh overtook Tjioe to move into 7^th position in ARFC’s all-time scorers list.

Hee was next to make an impact after using his world-class speed to dispossess their left-back and pass to Alvin.  Alvin cut in and shot home his 177^th ARFC goal with his right foot. 4-0.

At this juncture, Alvin was level with Haron at 177 goals.

In the 2^nd half, Weilit, Jasper replaced Tjioe and Guoxiong.

Complacency then set in when ARFC conceded 2 quick goals. 4-2

To arrest the complacency, ARFC made several substitutions to seize back the initiative of the match.

True enough, ARFC extended its lead immediately. Guoxiong sped down the right flank and his ball was cleared to Ron who was 37.77 metres from goal. Without hesitation, Ron thumped in a violent ball that went straight into the roof of the goal and left their keeper rooted to the spot. 5-2 and this was Ron’s 6^th ARFC goal and first-ever brace for ARFC.

Guoxiong chalked up another assist when his shot hit the cross-bar but Alvin reacted quickest and dashed in to score with a header for his 178^th ARFC goal. 6-2.

With this goal, Alvin temporarily stood atop the ARFC all-time scorers list with 178 goals.

From another attack, Khim played a 1-2 with Haron who displayed his class and composure by lifting the ball over their keeper for his 178^th ARFC goal and level with Alvin. 7-2

Off an Alvin’s corner, Toh rose unchallenged and scored with yet a text-book header for his 60^th ARFC goal 8-2.

Man-of-the-Match is clearly Darren though Ron came very close.