Alvin powered ARFC to narrow but totally deserving 2-1 win

Playing at St Patrick’s School again since the ill-fated day when their sweeper was brutally hacked down by his own goalkeeper, ARFC defeated Trinity, the same opponent, 2-1 courtesy of an determined, perseverance and superb effort from Alvin.

ARFC started with this line-up:

Keeper - Commanding Ismail

Right-back - Dependable Jinzhong

Sweeper - Astute-reading sweeper Elvis

Stopper - Towering Toh

Left-back - Unbeatable Darren 

Left-mid - Unpredictable Blackburn  

Centre-mid - Combative Ron

Centre-mid - Dynamic Soon

Right-mid - Talisman Derrick

Striker - Powerful Alvin (captain)

Striker - Nippy Kenny

Subs:

Influential Sebastian

Speedy Hee

Wonder Wayne

Absent:

Sublime Khim  

Steely Tze Ern

Marauding Guoxiong 

Skilful Weilit

ARFC Scoring Legend Haron

Impeccable How Meng

Hard-man Tjioe

Immaculate Indra

Booming Boon

ARFC was quicker off the blocks and Blackburn soon put Derrick through with a sliced pass. However, Derrick’s shot hit the upright and bounced out.

Derrick’s lucklessness continued when he again struck the same post after being teed up by Alvin.

ARFC then conceded a goal. 0-1

ARFC equalized 7 mins into the 2^nd half. Blackburn’ bullet corner from the right was headed out by their defender. Darren retrieved the ball near the left flank and passed to Ron. From the left, Ron swung in a cross and Jinzhong dashed in from deep to place a brilliant well-placed glancing header to the far post ala Lawrie Sanchez’s headed goal for Wimbledon against Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final. 1-1 and this was Jinzhong’s 2^nd goal for ARFC.  1-1

ARFC put the opponents under severe pressure but were unable to grab a break-through until Alvin’s inspiring move in the dying minutes.

The ball was cleared all the way and was headed out at the left corner. While all warriors had given up on the chase, Alvin had other ideas. He embarked on a lung-bursting run and just managed to keep the ball in at the left corner spot. With their keeper back-pedalling, Alvin sent the ball across goal and there was Keny who popped up at the far post to steer the ball into the empty for his 46^th ARFC goal. 2-1

World-class effort from Alvin. Truly an inspiring moment.

What made Alvin’s effort more commendable is that he was fed mainly with lousy balls from the midfielders and some selfishness from Blackburn. However, Alvin did not give up at all.

Voting results:

Alvin – 12

Ron – 11

Kenny – 6

Jinzhong – 6

Darren – 5

Soon – 1

Elvis – 1