Eng Lai ended personal goal-drought with a world-class screamer in 6-1 win

Playing its 3^rd League Match, ARFC finally chalked up its first win of the season with a comprehensive 6-1 demolition of Asteroid MFC.

ARFC started with this line-up:

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

ARFC controlled the match for first half an hour and created numerous goal-scoring chances.  However, ARFC could not grab a breakthrough due to woeful finishing.

In the 31^st min, ARFC was made to pay for its wasteful profligacy when the opponents took the lead with its first shot on target!  0-1

Shocked by the goal, ARFC finally woke up from slumberland.  In the 37^th min, from Blackburn’s corner, Darren rose highest at the near post to thump a powerful header into the net.  1-1 and this was Darren’s 7^th ARFC goal.

ARFC then switched to a 3-4-3 formation in the 2^nd half.  Within 5 mins from the re-start, Khim’s hopeful high ball to the opponents’ 6-yard box saw the ball bounced over their GK.  Haron was the ultimate beneficiary when he simply nodded the ball into the empty net.  2-1 and this was Haron’s 241^st ARFC goal.

3 mins later, Darren notched his brace in the match.  Blackburn was again the creator when his free-kick found the forehead of Darren who rose the highest yet again to head past their GK for his 8^th ARFC goal.  3-1

Wayne then joined in the scoring act when a beautiful one-two between Soon, Guoxiong, Khim and Haron saw the latter releasing a through ball for Wayne to pursue.  With only their GK to beat, Wayne showed world-class composure to slot the ball into the far corner.  4-1 and this was Wayne’s 24^th ARFC goal.

ARFC extended its lead 7 mins later with a straight-forward route one routine.  Derrick’s long goal kick to the middle of the field saw Blackburn flicking the ball goalwards.  Weilit then broke their off-side trap by sprinting in from behind and glided past their sweeper.    Despite suffering from cramps due to his morning league match, Weilit demonstrated great determination by timing his run to perfection and slamming the ball past their stunned GK.  5-1 and this was Weilit’s 13^th ARFC goal. 

In the 77^th min, Haron turned back the clock when he chased down their left back who looked to be half Haron’s age. Incredulously, Haron won the duel!! Superb!

ARFC wasn’t contented to have scored 5 goals and rounded off the match with the best goal of the match 7 mins later.  Guoxiong, who had a great match, broke their off-side trap on the left and found Weilit near him.  Weilit looked up and after hearing Haron’s call for the ball on the right, duly put him through.  Haron killed the ball with a world-class first touch and sprinted towards their goal.   In a rare moment of hesitation as Haron couldn’t decide whether to lobang or chip their GK, Haron’s shot was kept out by their GK’s trailing leg.  Fortunately, the ball rebounded to Weilit who continued his run into the box.  Chested the ball down and despite pressure from their defenders, laid the ball nicely for the on-rushing Eng Lai.  Reminding all and sundry of his golden glorious years (remember – Eng Lai is the oldest player in ARFC at 51 years old), Eng Lai hit a screamer that had the commentator screaming goal ala Latin American-style and indeed, his shot landed nicely at the top right corner of their goal.  Simply world-class goal! 

6-1 and this was Eng Lai’s 6^th ARFC goal, ending a almost 13-year goal-scoring drought as his last ARFC goal was on 14 Nov 2004 at ITE AMK in ARFC’s 7-0 win then. 

Voting results:

Darren – 11

Khim – 6

Soon – 5

Weilit – 5

Guoxiong – 4

Blackburn – 3

Eng Lai – 2

Ron – 2

Haron – 1

Wayne – 1

Chua – 1

Derrick – 1