These are the goal scorers and their goal for all ARFC matches in 2022:
Alvin - 15 goals
Chun Haw - 14 goals
Sebastian - 12 goals
Haron - 4 goals
Kenny, Wei Lit, Tjioe, Wayne and How Meng - all 3 goals
Derrick, Kerwin - all 2 goals
Soon, Darren, Guoxiong, Raymond and Tze Ern - all 1 goal
Own goal - 1 goal
Playing a 9 pm match for the first time since covid-19, ARFC brushed aside the challenge of Booze Uncle 5-1 on 1 Nov 2022 at 9 pm at Turfy City pitch 4.
Due to poor responses, ARFC had to call up guest players.
Special credit to Darren for volunteering to play GK due to his groin injury sustained on 30 Oct 2022. Big kudos to him!
Special mention to Derrick who turned up to watch despite his injured right knee.
ARFC was led by Chun Haw and Wei Lit who made the decisions for this match.
ARFC took to the pitch with this 4-4-2 line-up:
Jersey No.: | Name | Position |
6 | Unbeatable Darren | Goalkeeper |
xx | Kiat (guest player) | Right back |
3 | Astute-reading sweeper Elvis | Sweeper |
xx | Han Yuan (guest player) | Stopper |
xx | Jerri (guest player) | Left back |
xx | Hao Xian (guest player) | Right mid |
23 | Talented Chun Haw | Centre Mid |
7 | Influential Sebastian | Centre Mid |
19 | Skillful Wei Lit | Left Mid |
5 | Energetic Kerwin | Striker |
xx | Han (guest player) | Striker |
Substitutes: | ||
31 | Wonder Wayne (late) |
|
xx | Kelvin |
|
xx | Darren |
|
xx | Ann |
|
Missing In Action: | ||
2 | Remarkable Rashid |
|
4 | Dynamic Soon |
|
8 | Precocious Javier |
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9 | ARFC Scoring Legend Haron |
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10 | Sublime Khim |
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11 | Speedy Hee |
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13 | Talisman Derrick |
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14 | Combative Ron |
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15 | Towering Toh |
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16 | Marauding Guoxiong |
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17 | Nippy Kenny |
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20 | Composed Eng Lai |
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26 | Rampaging Raymond |
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27 | Left-foot wizard Kejendran (KJ) |
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28 | Hard-man Tjioe |
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29 | Flying Fremont |
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66 | Vintage Chua |
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77 | Dependable Jinzhong |
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78 | Steely Tze Ern |
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98 | Impeccable How Meng |
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99 | Powerful Alvin |
|
Booze Uncle started the match with their quick passing and movements which troubled ARFC initially which was not surprising due to the presence of many guest players who needed a bit of time to bed in. Thankfully, Elvis led the defence well to ensure that the opponents did not score.
Once they settled in, ARFC began to wrest back the control from the opponents with its own passing and movements which had the opponents in sixes and sevens.
ARFC took the lead in the 15th min. A long ball from Kiat was latched on by Han at the right flank. Looking up, Han sent in a low sizzling ball across goal to the far post. Kerwin peeled away from the defender, popped up at the far post and side footed the ball into the empty net. 1-0 and this was Kerwin’s 5th ARFC goal.
7 mins later, ARFC doubled its lead with an exquisite goal from Sebastian. From a corner on the left, the ball was only half-cleared by the opponents. Jerri picked up the ball inside the box and laid the ball to Sebastian after hearing his call for the ball. Standing just outside the top of the penalty box, and with an opponent closing in, Sebastian hit a left foot curler that dipped in just under the cross bar with their GK failing to get his hands to the ball. 2-0 and this was Sebastian’s 129th ARFC goal.
Shortly after scoring, Sebastian asked to be substituted as it was his 2nd match in 3 days, after playing the full 90 mins 2 days ago.
In the second half, ARFC continued its dominance though the opponents did threaten on several occasions but Han Yuan and Kiat snuffed out all their attacks, with Darren producing several assured catches from their shots.
ARFC extended its lead in the 55th min. Hao Xian held up the ball at the right flank, paused for a while before threading in a low diagonal through ball that tore their defence apart. Darrell dashed in and proceeded to fire in a fierce shot inside the near post that gave their GK no chance at all! 3-0 now.
ARFC then put the result to bed after the highly-impressive Jerri drilled a stunner across goal that left their GK rooted to the spot. 4-0.
The referee then produced the “kelong of the century” when he awarded a goal to the opponents. Before taking a goal kick (which means play has not started), their striker simply took the ball away from Darren, dribbled past him and put the ball into the empty net. Incredulously, the referee, who was actually standing in the centre circle, allowed the “goal”!!! Such a stunning decision simply left every players, both in and outside the pitch, stunned like vegetables. 4-1.
ARFC restored its 4-goal cushion with a brilliant pass from Chun Haw. His slide rule pass from the left took their entire defence out of the equation and Han ran in before calmly placing the ball past their despairing GK. 5-1!
This was a match where ARFC did very well despite the unfamiliarity due to presence of guest players. Chun Haw and Wei Lit showcased their leadership qualities as well.
Playing its 6th Veterans match in 2022 and 33rd Veterans match overall, ARFC Veterans was let down by poor attendance and was beaten 3-5 by Ayer Rajah Veterans at the way-too-small pitch at Khalsa Club on 25 Sep 202 at 7 pm.
ARFC Veterans started with this 4-4-2 line-up:
GK – Zhi Chong (guest GK)
RB – Eng Lai
Sweeper – Elvis
Stopper – Toh
LB – Darren
RM – Soon
CM – Tjioe
CM – Sebastian (captain)
LM – Kenny
SC – Derrick
SC – Haron
Subs:
Daniel
Wayne
Ron
At the request of the opponents, the match was played in three 30-min halves.
ARFC Veterans started the match brightly and nearly took the lead within 3 mins.
From his left-back position, Darren pinged a long ball down the right flank which Derrick managed to retrieve right at the right byeline. He then squared the ball across goal and running in, Soon met the ball perfectly but his shot was blocked by both their GK and sliding defender for a corner kick. Unlucky but what a move.
ARFC Veterans then suffered a huge blow when Toh pulled his calf after stretching for a ball, resulting in him being replaced by Ron.
Zhi Chong then produced 2 top-draw saves, and Elvis also came up with a brilliant block to keep the first-30 half 0-0.
Kenny then departed the match due to family commitment, leaving ARFC Veterans with just 2 substitutes.
ARFC Veterans then found itself 2 goals down within the space of 7 mins. 0-2.
From Sebastian’s corner on the right, the ball was headed away by the opponents. The ball was picked up by Elvis, who again had a good match, at the centre of the pitch. With an instinctive move, Elvis switched the ball to the left flank where Ron had taken up a good position. Ron’s clever flick with his right foot saw the ball floating right into the heart of the opponent’s penalty box. Before their GK could punch the ball away, Darren sneaked in and managed to head the ball over their GK for his 12th Veterans goa and 27t ARFC goals overall. 1-2 now!
Daniel then pressured their defender by sliding the ball away and Soon gleefully picked up the loose ball. Alas, his clean shot was saved by their GK.
Tjioe was next to come close when his venomous shot from distance was palmed away by their GK.
The second 30-min half ended 1-2.
In the last 30-min half, the opponents took the lead from a long shot. 1-3 now.
ARFC Veterans pulled a goal back 7 mins later. Derrick’s good work from the left resulted in the ball being played into the penalty box. With the ball rolling about in the area between the penalty spot and the top of the box, Haron did well to shield their stopper. Wasted no time, Sebastian immediately seized the golden opportunity and fired in a sizzling grounder that beat their full-diving GK. The ball landed nicely at the bottom left corner. 2-3 and this was Sebastian’s 128th ARFC goal, with 12 coming from ARFC Veterans matches.
The opponents then regained its 2-goal cushion. 2-4 now.
Ron then came up with a world-class block with his body to prevent ARFC Veterans from falling behind.
Derrick nearly scored when his long-range shot from outside the box looked to be ending up at the bottom right corner when their GK stuck out his feet to turn the ball away for a corner. Unlucky!
ARFC Veterans then narrowed the score 7 mins later. Sebastian’s throw-in from the right saw Wayne chested the ball back to Sebastian. In a swift move, Sebastian lofted the ball into the penalty box and Tjioe leaped highest to nod the ball over their GK. 3-4.
With the goal, Tjioe has moved to 70 ARFC goals, with 4 of those goals coming from ARFC Veterans matches, and surpassed Robin’s 69 goals.
The opponents then scored a last-gasp goal to win 5-3.
Including this match, these were all the details for ARFC Veterans’ 33 matches since it was formed in 2017:
2017 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 7 |
2018 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 21 |
2019 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 16 |
2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2022 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 15 |
Total | 33 | 26 | 2 | 5 | 112 | 59 |
These are the top 5 scorers for ARFC Veterans’ 33 matches:
1. Raymond – 18 goals
2. Haron – 15 goals
3. Darren – 12 goals
4. Sebastian – 12 goals
5. Soon – 11 goals
Special thanks to Derrick for generously topping up the short-fall for match fee payments.
Man of the Match has to be Darren.Tjioe
