Final Score: 2-1
Players: Chai Liang, Peter, Tony, Daniel, Steven, YK, David, Francis, Hamdan, Ajis, Ann Hoe, Ah Joon, Johnny, Edmund, Jufri, the Chinese candidate, Peng Siew, Yew Min
The Game: Playing every week against the same opponents, you have to ask the question - how well would we square up against the unfamiliar. Well we did, and the forces of the SDs and Great Whites combined to take on a team, well schooled to handle times of adversity and known for its persistence and tenacity...insurance agents!!
The game started off excruciatingly slow - both sides were restrained and the pace seemed almost strolling when viewed from the sidelines. Well, not until the first goal came - and against the run of play.
Unable to turn our dominance into any tangible results, the visitors scored off a quick counterattack. Beating the offside trap, the striker, obviously well insured, latched on to a good long ball to unleash a shot pass the on-rushing Steven.
Fortunately, the Home team were quick on the reply. Hamdan, taking a cue from Thierry Henry, caught the visitors' defence with a quickly taken freekick awarded at the edge of the penalty box. That we should have scored a second goal seemed inevitable as our dominance was obvious. However, the finishing touch was lacking, as numerous chances and several sitters went begging. In the end, it had to come from another dead ball situation. Calmly controlling an awkward bounce in the 12 yard box, Jufri was fouled on the turn. Edmund confidently stepped up to convert the spot kick.
The second half commenced and both sides battled for control. With Hamdan and Ajis leaving, it was a see-saw battle in the middle. We saw few clear cut opportunities as the opposition's defence were organized and hard to beat. Any shortage in their ball skills were more than compensated with hard running and industrious defending.
Their attack threatened on some occasions but our defence and luck held up. Some close shaves with Ah Joon having to back peddle furiously to prevent an equaliser. With Johnny stranded in no man's land, he brilliantly nodded a dipping freekick off the line. And we saw another last minute freekick ricochet off our upright.
Well, not the seven goal demolition like the last time but a hard fought and well earned victory in the end. And a day of solidarity as Tony and Ann Hoe held hands to defend a freekick from the left: brotherhood, forged in times of rivalry, came together in the face of a common foe. We recommend the movie: Brokeback Mountain.
Injury: All's well
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