Haron's 15th ARFC hat-trick key to ARFC Veterans' 5-3 win

Playing its 18^th veteran match against SRC Veterans at the Padang, Haron powered ARFC Veterans to a 5-3 victory and thereby maintaining its 100% record in 2019 (3 wins out of 3)

Due to initial poor responses, ARFC Veterans had to call up 4 guest players and 1 ARFC warrior to bolster its ranks.

Special credit goes to Ron who gamely turned up despite nursing a niggling heel injury.  Ron even lasted the whole match!  What a gem!

ARFC Veterans started with this 4-4-2 line-up:

GK – Sunny (guest player)

RB – Andy (guest player)

Sweeper – Ron

Stopper – Toh

LB – Darren

RM – Derrick

CM – Sebastian

CM – Tze Ern

LM - Hee

SC – Haron

SC – Alvin

Subs:

Sunny (guest player) – late

John (guest player) – late

Wayne (ARFC warrior) – late

ARFC Veterans drew first blood within 177 seconds when Haron intercepted a poor pass across goal by their defender, and duly slotted home his 260^th ARFC goal. 1-0

However, ARFC Veterans went to sleep and conceded an equaliser 5 mins later.

ARFC Veterans then woke up and restore its lead 7 mins later.  Darren ping a long ball down the left and Alvin’s movement was great as he powered down the left.  Cutting the ball down to his favoured right foot, Alvin heard Haron’s call and sent in a inviting ball to the danger area between the penalty spot and 6-yard box.  Haron swooped in and planted a world-class diving header past their despairing GK. 2-1 and this was Haron’s 261^st ARFC goal.

Things got even better for Haron as he completed his hat-trick 7 mins later.  Tze Ern, who had a monster of a match, swung in a corner from the left. The ball was half clear high up into the air.  Toh then cushioned the ball down perfectly with an over-the-shoulder kick. The ball fell down nicely near the penalty spot and Haron executed his look-alike Fandi Ahmad-like bicycle kick that stunned all the opponents.  3-1 and this was Haron’s 262^nd ARFC goal.

This was also Haron’s 15^th hat-trick for ARFC which yielded 50 goals in total from those 15 hat-tricks.

However, Haron is still way behind Alvin’s all-time record of 27 hat-tricks which netted 90 goals.

In the 2^nd half, ARFC Veterans continued to press and soon extended its lead. From the left mid position, Tze Ern begun his solo run which took him past 3 opponents and all the way to the left bye-line.

Looking up and with no more space to go, Tze Ern produced a fantastic left-foot cross ala John Barnes all the way into the box.  The ball took a bounce near the penalty spot and Hee then came in from the blind side to head past their GK who despite getting a touch to the ball, was unable to prevent the ball from crossing the goal-line.  4-1 and this was Hee’s 108^th ARFC goal and first-ever ARFC Veterans goal!

Hee almost grabbed his brace when he met a delicious-looking cross from Darren but his powerful header smacked against the cross-bar.  Unlucky!

ARFC Veterans then put the result to bed in the 57^th min. Sebastian’s free-kick was blocked and the ball rolled back to him.  With a nonchalant look, Sebastian simply sliced the ball through their defence for Derrick to run in from deep.  Derrick just managed to reach the ball before 77 mm from the touchline on the left and sent in a low cross that eluded their GK, leaving Darren with the easiest of task to roll the ball into the empty net. 5-1 and this was Darren’s 17^th ARFC goal.

ARFC then eased up a bit and conceded 2 goals to win 5-3.