ARFC run riot in 7-2 victory

Playing Esperenza for the 3^rd time since Jun 2014, ARFC hit top form and annihilated them 7-2 at Coral SS.

The previous 2 encounters against them were 2-1 (15 Jun) and 0-2 (10 Aug).

ARFC was only supported by Melissa, soon-to-be Mrs Chua.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper - Commanding Ismail

Right-back - Dependable Jinzhong

Sweeper - Unpredictable Blackburn

Stopper - Towering Toh

Left-back - Impeccable How Meng  

Left-mid - Skilful Weilit

Centre-mid - Dynamic Soon

Centre-mid - Influential Sebastian (captain)

Right-mid - Talisman Derrick

Striker - Powerful Alvin

Striker - Speedy Hee

Subs:

Combative Ron (late)

Jasper (guest player)

Absent:

Unbeatable Darren  

Nippy Kenny

ARFC Scoring Legend Haron

Astute-reading sweeper Elvis

Steely Tze Ern

Marauding Guoxiong

Sublime Khim  

Wonder Wayne

Hard-man Tjioe

Immaculate Indra

Booming Boon

ARFC was really determined to avenge its previous 0-2 defeat which was a really strange result.

ARFC took the lead after an incisive run by Hee down the middle. Hee threaded a nice low ball down the left to Alvin who broke their off-side trap. Without breaking his stride, Alvin propelled the ball with his outside right foot to beat their keeper who seemed shocked by Alvin’s precise shot. 1-0 and this was Alvin’s 242^nd ARFC goal.

ARFC quickly doubled its lead. From Sebastian’s corner on the right, Toh headed against the cross-bar. The rebound fell nicely onto the head of Derrick who was at the 6-yard box line and he duly obliged when he simply nodded home. 2-0 and this was Derrick’s 97^th ARFC goal.

The 3^rd goal came courtesy of a classy Blackburn special. Latching on to a Jasper cross, Blackburn beat their defender and calmly lifted the ball over their keeper to the far post for his 141^st ARFC goal. 3-0

ARFC was not done.  From a Blackburn’s bullet-like corner on the left, Toh charged in like a bullet train and when this happened, there can only be one outcome – yet another headed goal from Toh. 4-0 and this was Toh’s 79^th ARFC goal.

Just right on the stroke of half-time, the referee awarded a controversial penalty which was brilliantly saved by Ismail but they scored from the rebound. 4-1

During half-time, the referee admitted sheepishly to ARFC captain Sebastian that he actually “took pity” on the opponents and gave them a penalty as “consolation”. The referee also apologised profusely to Sebastian by saying (actual words)

“you know lah. The opponents so lousy. Give them chance sikit sikit lah.”

ARFC kept up its relentless attacks in the 2^nd half. Alvin’s closing down saw him winning the ball and laid to Derrick. Spotted their keeper in a bad position, Derrick simply toe-poked the ball past him and the ball slowly crept into the near post. 5-1 and this was Derrick’s 98^th ARFC goal.

Derrick is now in 4^th position in ARFC’s all-time leading scorer list, behind, Alvin, Haron and Blackburn, with Hee one goal behind Derrick.

ARFC then gained a fortuitous goal when a long and hard clearance from Ron saw the ball bouncing right into the heart of their defence. In his haste, their defender headed the ball past his own keeper. 6-1 and this was the 35^th own goals conceded to ARFC since Jun 1991.

ARFC was not done. Derrick wriggled his way at the right flank and send in a diagonal ball all the way to the left. Alvin dashed in, looked up and chipped the ball into the penalty spot mark. Weilit, who has really improved, leaped and powered the ball home with a rare header for his 8^th ARFC goal. 7-1

ARFC then conceded another goal. 7-2

Voting results:

Derrick – 10

Alvin – 7

Soon – 5

How Meng – 4

Jinzhong – 3

Hee – 3

Weilit – 3

Toh – 2

Blackburn – 1

Sebastian – 1