ARFC scores first victory in 2014

Playing a morning match since years ago, ARFC did not allow the morning heat to affect its dominating 3-0 victory over Marine Devils FC. The win was also ARFC’s first in 2014 after 3 matches.

ARFC welcomed back Guoxiong who made his return after many months of refereeing. Ex-ARFC warrior Eng Lai, the oldest player to play for ARFC, also responded to ARFC’s SOS call and made his appearance.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper - Impeccable How Meng

Right-back - Marauding Guoxiong  

Sweeper - Towering Toh (captain)

Stopper - Dependable Jinzhong

Left-back - Unbeatable Darren

Left-mid - Speedy Hee

Centre-mid - Dynamic Soon   

Centre-mid - Influential Sebastian  

Right-mid - Talisman Derrick  

Striker - Powerful Alvin (captain)

Striker - Nippy Kenny

Subs:

Wonder Wayne (late)

Skillful Weilit

Unpredictable Blackburn (only came about 10 mins after second half due to family)

Eng Lai

Absent:

Combative Ron

ARFC Scoring Legend Haron

Astute-reading sweeper Elvis

Steely Tze Ern  

Resolute Jasper

Composed Jackson

Precocious Chun Haw

Hard-man Tjioe

Sublime Khim

Booming Boon

Jiawei

ARFC started strongly with Alvin and Kenny particularly menacing.  Guoxiong also showed what ARFC has been missing in right-back position with his marauding runs and tenacity defending.

ARFC took the lead in the 7^th min. A long punt upfield was flicked on by Derrick and then Kenny. The loose ball looked to be picked up by their keeper but he hesitated after seeing Alvin charging in, probably intimidated by Alvin’s bulging muscles. Alvin needed no second invitation and he simply prodded the ball home for his 222^nd ARFC goal. 1-0

How Meng then preserved ARFC’s lead when he produced a superb save.

Derrick then earned a penalty after he was clumsily brought down. Hee stepped up but could only produced a weak low ball down the centre which was easily saved by their keeper. With the miss, Hee will “Miss A Turn” in penalty-duty.

Suddenly, Alvin remembered his “super kt BJ session” that caused his heart to palpate at 7777 heartbeats per min. As such, he was taken off as precautionary measure.

In the 2^nd half, Toh was twice denied by Alvin in the space of seconds.

First, from Sebastian’s corner on the right, Toh looked to be in a better position to meet the ball but Alvin leaped in front of him to send the header wide.

77 seconds later, from a Sebastian’s cross from the right, Toh looked poised to head home until Alvin intervened and repeated the same move by jumping in front of Toh and headed wide.

How Meng again came to ARFC’s rescue when he reacted brilliantly to palm a stinging long-range powerful shot over the bar. World-class.

Eng Lai then turned back the clock when he released Weilit down the right flank with a dinking ball. Weilit powered down the right channel and sensing that their keeper would expect a cross, Weilit let fly a stiff grounder from an almost acute angle to beat their keeper, much to the surprise of all and sundry . 2-0 and this was Weilit’s 5^th ARFC goal.

However, ARFC’s joy turned to agony when Eng Lai twisted his knee in the assist.

How Meng then kept the 2-goal margin when he kept out a certain goal by making a flying low save. Simply fantastic!

From a free-kick in the middle, Kenny stood over the ball and curled in a left-foot beauty that bent round the wall but was just 0.77 mm off the stanchion! Super unlucky but what a technique.

Kenny was not to be denied moments later. Alvin and Derrick combined to set Kenny up. Kenny fooled their defender with a fake left-foot shot, and with the ball on his right foot, Kenny simply whacked the ball inside the near post of the goal for his 31^st ARFC goal. 3-0

Man-of-the-Match is jointly given to How Meng and Jinzhong.