ARFC's new jerseys could not inspire victory

Beginning the year on a cool and breezy afternoon, ARFC could not celebrate its brand-new jerseys as it could only eke out a 1-1 draw against New Squad FC at the poor Crescent Girls SS pitch.

 

ARFC was supported by Yanxiu and Melissa, wife of Huiming and Hee respectively.

 

ARFC started with this line-up:

 

Jersey no.	Position	Name
45	Goalkeeper	Commanding Ismail
20	Sweeper	Composed Eng Lai
77	Stopper	Dependable Jinzhong
18	Right-back	Determined Huiming
31	Left-back	Vintage Chua
16	Right-mid	Marauding Guoxiong
2	Left-mid	Unpredictable Blackburn
4	Centre-mid	Dynamic Soon
28	Centre-mid	Hard-man Tjioe
9	Striker	ARFC Scoring Legend Haron
66	Striker	Wonder Wayne
Subs:
3		Astute-reading sweeper Elvis
5		Impeccable How Meng
7		Influential Sebastian
11		Speedy Hee
14		Combative Ron
15		Towering Toh
33		Talisman Derrick
99		Powerful Alvin
Absent:
6		Unbeatable Darren
8		Talented Chun Haw
10		Sublime Khim
17		Nippy Kenny
19		Skillful Weilit
21		Rampaging Raymond
78		Steely Tze Ern

 

ARFC started with some hesitant football and Eng Lai and Jinzhong came to the rescue with a couple of vital blocks.

 

Guoxiong then did well down the right flank but his superb cross was not met by any warrior.

 

ARFC then conceded a break-away goal. 0-1

 

ARFC equalised courtesy of a sublime chip pass ala Glenn Hoddle by Sebastian. After winning possession, Sebastian lifted the ball just over the head of their right-back and Alvin gleefully powered into the box and faced their keeper alone. The end result was never in doubt as Alvin duly placed the ball past their keeper for his 274^th ARFC goal. 1-1

 

Toh then just narrowly failed to connect with a dizzling corner from Sebastian.

 

In the 2^nd half, ARFC continued to create chances. First, Jinzhong’s floated ball into the box found How Meng’s head but his header was somehow kept out by their keeper. How Meng followed up but his hooked ball just went over the bar.

 

Sebastian then released Alvin down the left with a Xavi-like no-look pass. Alvin’s left-foot square ball across goal was parried by their keeper. Wayne followed up but his shot was blocked by their defender and cleared to safety.

 

Haron then won several headers and fouls but ARFC did not capitalise.

 

Sebastian then curled a free-kick to the top left corner and was prepared to celebrate his 100^th goal for ARFC.  However and somewhat miraculously, their keeper flew across goal and clawed the ball to safety, a save akin to Gordon bank’s save against Pele in World Cup 1970.

 

Hee was a monster at left-mid and was winning every first and second ball.

 

ARFC pressed on but could not get a winner. 1-1 was probably a fair result.

 

Credit to the opponents too for graciously allowing ARFC to put in another player after Blackburn’s sending-off.