In probably the best performance in 2014, ARFC dished out a
all-energy, high-intensity performance to easily dismiss Schwarstarz FC 4-0,
avenging a previous 1-2 loss to them back on 29 April 2012 at Crescent Girls
Sec Sch.
Special credit to Guoxiong for coming to play despite his gruelling
1 pm referee. Ismail also deserved
mention for turning up despite his 6.30 pm flight to Krabi.
ARFC started with this line-up:
Keeper - Commanding Ismail
Right-back - Dependable Jinzhong
Sweeper - Combative Ron
Stopper - Towering Toh
Left-back - Unbeatable Darren
Left-mid - Steely Tze Ern
Centre-mid - Marauding Guoxiong
Centre-mid - Dynamic Soon
Right-mid - Talisman Derrick
Striker - ARFC Scoring Legend Haron (captain)
Striker - Unpredictable Blackburn
Subs:
Influential Sebastian (late)
Speedy Hee
Absent:
Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
Wonder Wayne
Nippy Kenny
Powerful Alvin
Impeccable How Meng
Hard-man Tjioe
Sublime Khim
Booming Boon
With just 277 seconds gone,
Derrick was the victim of a brutal boots-up kick from their defender ala Nigel
de Jong and suffered a gash on his forehead. With blood streaming down ala
Terry Butcher in World Cup 1990, Derrick left the field but not before letting
fly a string of profanities in various languages and dialects. Hee then quickly
took his place despite still not warmed up, switching flanks with Tze Ern.
Within mins of coming on, Hee
immediately earned a penalty. His speed, pun intended, was simply too fast for
their right back who chopped him down. Unfortunately, Blackburn was again too
casual and he stroked the ball wide!
7 mins later, ARFC was awarded another penalty when Haron was clumsily shoved from behind by the same defender
who kicked Derrick earlier. Sebastian beckoned Haron to take the spot-kick and
the latter duly obliged by expertly fired the ball into the bottom corner and
sending their keeper the wrong way. 1-0 and this was Haron’s 204th
ARFC goal.
Derrick then came back on to
replace Blackburn to inject some pace. Moments later, Sebastian too over from
Guoxiong at centre mid.
Sebastian too created the same
impact as fellow substitute Hee. Sebastian floated in a corner from the right
and before Toh came in to connect, everybody was already screaming for a goal.
True enough, Toh did not disappoint all and sundry when he rose like Olivier
Bierhoff to head the ball home. 2-0 and this was Toh’s 73rd ARFC
goal.
Toh nearly scored another goal
just seconds later. Sebastian whipped in a vicious free-kick right into he
danger zone at the 6-yard box but Toh just narrowly failed to connect.
In the 2nd half,
ARFC did not let up and continued its pressing and winning virtually all the
first and second balls.
ARFC extended its lead 7 mins
into the half. Sebastian played in Soon who in turn passed to Haron who was
standing at the arch outside the penalty box. Haron flicked the ball with his
inside right foot down the right channel in the penalty box. Derrick charged in
like Andrei Kanchelskis and hit a jumping volley that sailed diagonally over
their keeper. 3-0 and this was Derrick’s 78th goal.
Ismail then produced a stunning
jumping block to keep out a powerful strike from them.
ARFC put the result to bed in
the 77th min. Derrick robbed their sweeper who was trying to beat
him and faced their keeper alone. Needless to say, Derrick simply placed the
ball past him for his 79th ARFC goal. 4-0
Jinzhong then replaced Ismail
as goalkeeper.
This is the 3rd clean
sheet in a row for ARFC. This is also the 3rd successive match that
Derrick has scored.
Most significantly, this was a
match where ARFC was really dominating and domineering with its intense pressing
and closing down. The passing and support was also probably the best in recent
times.
Last but not least, kudos to
Derrick for continued to play despite his head injury. An example for all
warriors to emulate!
These are the voting results:
Derrick – 11
Haron – 7
Tze Ern – 6
Ron – 6
Hee – 4
Toh – 2
Soon – 1
Jinzhong – 1
Darren – 1
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