As we head into our final pre-season game before our official league season begin, we are matched with one of the tougher (younger) opponents, which we were thrashed 4-0 in November last year. It does not help that more than half the team were still feeling the strains from a heavy night before, celebrating our legendary mate, Ben's 50th birthday. Nevertheless, we stuck to pre-match arrangement from the night before to start the match with majority of drunkards.....LOL!
First Half
As we approached the kickoff, there was a good hype and adrenaline rush from everyone. We started fast and hard on our younger opponents, fought hard in midfield, and restricting almost every ball from reaching our penalty box. Chances were far and few from both teams, but we were shaping up well against a supposedly young and good team. Against the run of play, a long throw into their penalty box caused a lapse of concentration and confusion to their defence, and Yiong was on hand to plant a side foot volley past a stranded keeper for our opening goal. The goal woke them up momentarily, but we dealt with them with them effectively with Jason sticking like a leach to their 1.90m tall striker, and our captain, Loy commanding as a defensive lynch pin. About the half hour mark, a goal kick by Ron floated into the opponent's half, and thanks to an offside play that went wrong, Colin bursts through without a single soul near him. Our top scorer, made no mistake by rounding the keeper and putting us 2-0 up. With half time approaching, a rare defensive lapse saw them breaking the offside trap, and their lanky striker managed to slice in a shot from an acute angle. We almost regained our 2 goal advantage immediately when a cross by Harold found Jun Wen unmarked at the far post, but he fluffed his shot. 1st half ended 2-1 in our favor.
Second Half
It was an identical start to our 1st half as both teams traded blows without the end results. Yiong, having scored 2 goals in an earlier midweek game, was deployed as a lone forward to take advantage of his current form. However, another rare moment of concentration saw their playmaker dashing into the penalty box, turned Daryl inside out at least 3 times before crossing to their lanky striker again, to tap in from close range. At 2-2, both teams went desperately in search of the winner, and the final chance of the match fell to Harold, whose header struck the crossbar.
Our final pre-season game ended in a draw with a team who whipped us previously. Although we were disappointed in throwing away a 2 goal lead, it was still a creditable draw. However, we all knew that this will not be acceptable when the actual league starts。 This week's MOM was a tough choice, as most of the players did reasonably well, but without any particular person who played above expectations. Therefore, it was unanimously given to Yiong, for being the in-form player for this week (scoring 2 in mid-week), and added another 1 today. Congrats, and hope there's many more to come.
On behalf of Incepcion, I like to thank Ben for attending the meeting for the league, and coming down to brief us at half time. For all the alcohol abuses he took on the previous night, to walking out of the club on his own, attended the meeting on time the next day, and all the way to the west side to brief everyone present. You're the man, and thats why you deserved to be called "Legend", in your own special way!
Let's go for the league title boyz!!
