Tjioe rolled back the years with Scholes-like goal in 5-3 win

Continuing its recent fine form, ARFC shrugged aside the challenge of Redbacks 5-3 with an inspiring performance from Chun Haw.

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

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

With its first attack of the match, Alvin, who had put up very Mane-like performances recently with his incessant pressing, was hacked down in the penalty box.  In the absence of regular penalty-takers Sebastian and Haron, Chun Haw stepped up to hit a decisive side-footer into the bottom left corner. 1-0 and this was Chun Haw’s 83^rd ARFC goal.

The opponents then equalised in the 9^th min. 1-1

At the 20^th min mark, ARFC gave a run-out to all 4 substitutes.

In the 27^th min, off yet another delicious-looking cross from Guoxiong, who has been totally unplayable at right mid, their defender handled the ball which gave the referee the easiest of decisions to make.  Again, Chun Haw took the spot-kick but this time round, he placed the ball expertly and precisely to the top left corner. 2-1 and this was Chun Haw’s 84^th ARFC goal. 

With this goal, Chun Haw is now on level terms with Kenny in the ARFC’s all-time top scorers list.

With 77 seconds to go before the half-time whistle, ARFC extended its lead. Off a Rory Delap-like throw-in from Kerwin, Rashid picked up the loose ball and heard a call from Tjioe.  Rashid then laid a perfectly-weighted ball to Tjioe who then turned back the years when he curled home a powerful and world-class ball, ala Paul Scholes, from outside the box to the bottom right corner that gave their GK no chance at all!  3-1 and this was Tjioe’s 66^th ARFC goal.

In the 70^th min, Tjioe won a header from midfield and the ball fell to Guoxiong. Spotting the run from Chun Haw from deep, Guoxiong played in a perfect ball that saw Chun Haw beating the off-side trap.  With only their GK to beat, Chun Haw unselfishly passed up the chance to score a hat-trick when he squared the ball across for Javier to stroke the ball into the empty net.  4-1 and this was Javier’s 9^th ARFC goal.

What a wonderful team play from Chun Haw, similar to Darren’s similar move to Wayne few weeks ago.  The only difference was Darren got a Mercedes C180 from boss Wayne with that pass, while Chun Haw only received a kiss from Javier.

In the 74^th min, Kerwin, who is living up to his potential to succeed Darren at left-back eventually, won the ball on the left side.  Kerwin then hit a cross-field ball from left to right which saw Javier coming from blindside, beat their off-side trap and planted a firm low shot into the bottom corner of the goal.  5-1 and this was Javier’s 10^th ARFC goal.

The opponents then pulled back 2 consolation goals. 5-3