Chun Haw's 1st ARFC hat-trick

Hugely inspired by Liverpool’s thumping 4-0 victory over Fulham, ARFC played like Liverpool (in the 80s) to completely destroyed the OVA team 6-2 at the nice artificial pitch on a cool afternoon.

ARFC welcomed back club captain Sebastian after so many matches out but more importantly, Khim’s last-min appearance really upped every warrior’s spirit.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper             -           Impeccable How Meng

Right-back       -           Minghui (guest player)

Sweeper           -           Combative Ron

Stopper             -           Towering Toh

Left-back         -           Unbeatable Darren

Left-mid          -           Sublime Khim   

Centre-mid       -           Influential Sebastian   

Centre-mid       -           Dynamic Soon

Right-mid         -           Marauding Guoxiong (captain)

Striker              -           Unpredictable Blackburn  

Striker              -           Talented Chun Haw

Subs:

Resolute Jasper

Skilful Weilit

 Absent:

Hard-man Tjioe

Steely Tze Ern

Speedy Hee

Dependable Jinzhong

Astute-reading sweeper Elvis

Powerful Alvin

Wonder Wayne  

Talisman Derrick

ARFC Scoring Legend Haron

Mean-machine Hock

Long-throw specialist Norman

Precocious En Dian

Nippy Kenny

The first 10 mins was the best-ever ARFC performance I have ever witnessed and ARFC could have easily led by 4-0 or 5-0 by the 10^th min!!!!

Within 77 seconds, ARF took the lead after a clever inter-passing which started at the right-back area. Minghui, Guoxiong and Sebastian exchanged slick short passes before Sebastian pinged a high ball over to Blackburn who was outside the penalty box. Without hesitation, Blackburn in turn lofted the ball in the penalty box to Chun Haw who broke clear with a clever run and instinctively volleyed the ball home with his left foot ala Robin van Persie for his 10^th ARFC goal. The shot was so powerful that it nearly burst the net! 1-0

Another 77 seconds later and ARFC was 2-0 up with yet another slick passing ground moves. The ball was worked from the left from Khim to Soon to Chun Haw to Blackburn and then to Guoxiong who was just outside the box. Guoxiong feigned to shoot with this right foot, switched the ball to his left and then swept the ball in with his inside left foot for his 15^th ARFC goal. 2-0

In the 7^th min, Sebastian exchanged one-two with Khim who played the ball in with a slide-rule pass and Sebastian broke their off-side by running in from deep. Faced with only their keeper, Sebastian somehow lost his footing and their keeper gratefully kept the ball.

77 seconds later, Soon nearly scored. Again, the ball was worked between Darren, Khim, Chun Haw, Blackburn but Soon’s shot hit the cross-bar.

Tragedy then struck when the opponents scored with their 1^st attack in the match. 2-1.

Just before half-time, ARFC won a free-kick and Blackburn’s superb long-range free-kick flew right through the palms of their keeper for his 120^th ARFC goal. 3-1

  

It took just 77 seconds for ARFC to extend its lead. Guoxiong was the chief architect when he exchanged at least 3 to 4 wall-passes with Chun Haw who then took a great first touch in the box and before their defender can close in, Chun Haw thrashed the ball low and hard into the far bottom corner for his 11th ARFC goal. 4-1

ARFC put the result to bed when Darren conjured a world-class over-lapping run from left back all the way to the left by-line ala Roberto Carlos in his prime years. His low sizzling cross was met by Chun Haw who nipped ahead of their defender and duly whipped the ball into the net for his 12^th ARFC goal. 5-1

With this hat-trick, Chun Haw joined the elite band of hat-trick heroes in ARFC.

ARFC then conceded another goal. 5-2

How Meng then underlined his brilliant agility when he was nearly caught off-guard by a long-range missile from their midfielder. The ball sailed over How Meng and looked to be headed to the top left-hand corner of the goal. Displaying superb leopard-like leaping agility, How Meng took 2 steps back, leaped and pushed the ball onto the cross-bar for a corner.

The save was so world-class that even veteran commentator Martin Tyler was stunned and all he can say was “Oh my God! This save just reminded me of a certain Gordon Banks in the 1970 World Cup save against Pele!! This boy has great future! ”

In the last “head” of the match, Blackburn’s precise corner from the left was met by who else but Toh who stooped a bit to head the ball through a sea of players for his 64^th ARFC goal. 6-2

Man-of-the-Match is given to Blackburn for his goal and assists. Having said that, the whole team played really really well.