ARFC squandered 2-goal lead in friendly

In a friendly match against the OVA Under-40 team, ARFC squandered a 2-goal lead to draw 2-2 with the much-younger opponent who looked more like an under-25 team.

ARFC received 2 huge doses of boost when Jinzhong declared himself fit to play the keeper, while Hock turned up at the 11^th hour.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper             -           Dependable Jinzhong

Right-back       -           Unbeatable Darren

Sweeper           -           Combative Ron

Stopper                -           Towering Toh (captain)

Left-back         -           Wonder Wayne

Left-mid          -           Unpredictable Blackburn

Centre-mid       -           Hard-man Tjioe

Centre-mid       -           Dynamic Soon

Right-mid         -           Talisman Derrick

Striker              -           Powerful Alvin

Striker              -           Speedy Hee

Subs:

ARFC Scoring Legend Haron

Mean-machine Hock

Weilit

Jasper

Absent:

Influential Sebastian

Steely Tze Ern

Sublime Khim

Astute-reading sweeper Elvis

Marauding Guoxiong

Talented Chun Haw

Long-throw specialist Norman

Precocious En Dian

Nippy Kenny

Though the weather was rather killing, ARFC played fantastic football in the opening 20 mins. In the 15^th min, Alvin took full advantage of hesitation between their keeper and sweeper who waited for each other to clear the ball.  Alvin nipped in and poked the ball with his left foot which saw the ball went in between their keeper’s legs. 1-0 and this was Alvin’s 180^th ARFC goal.

10 mins later, ARFC doubled its lead. From yet another Blackburn’s precise corner, Toh rose like a fish to thump in a header ala Sami Hyypia for his 62^nd ARFC goal. 2-0

The opponents then pulled a goal back. 2-1

Just mins after the re-start, ARFC’s off-side trap failed. 2-2

7 mins from the end, Derrick looked to score the winning goal when he burst through on goal. However, he was crudely and cruelly brought down from behind which earned a dismissal for the defender.

Parity, as far as players count go, was restored with just 2 mins to go. Wayne took one for the team when he hurled their striker down who was through on goal, and was rightly sent to an early shower. Fantastic and clever foul by Wayne!