Team SESC Lineup
Ronnie; Nadd, Terk, Kok Hao, Derrick; Norman, Wen Kang, Simon, Barry, Owen; Chris
Last result vs LFCSG: 0-0
The weather: Slightly breezy and cloudy
Merseyside derbies are always an exciting fixture to look forward to.
You could almost feel the jitters everywhere even before one enters the school pitch but the Reds seemed to have more fans keeping their players company.
However the Reds also looked well prepared for the clash it semmed as they started the game with very calm and confident passing around. SESC were trying to find their gear when LFCSG come at their defences wave after wave, trying to find the gap with their countless reverse balls via the SESC backdoor.
They effort paid off at the 15min mark when an open play from about 10 passes strung till the ball ended up in the net with a brilliant team work and a well placed shot into the bottom of the net, no chance for Ronnie.
LFCSG then seemed to be hyped up for goal number two and from SESC's loose passing, their central defender hit the ball to their left midfielder and a quick swing of the ball to their right midfielder who did a neat one-two with their central midfielder before receiving the ball in return and rounding the advancing Ronnie to tuck home the ball. 0-2.
Within the space of 15 min, they got their third goal which was almost a carbon copy of their first goal. A brilliant team play with patience, they slowly passed the ball from side to side and waited for gaps to appear and they found it with a well timed ball to their striker, Chong to finish off and his second goal. 0-3!
When SESC restarted, they tried to play their game with some purposeful passing but could not trouble their keeper, who had been largely a pedestrian thus far. When the ball moved to the midfielders feet of LFCSG, something seemed to be clicking so well when their wide man, Alias roamed away from his position to prevent being marked. The creative playmaker this time orchestrated and finished the move himself;
A move than involved almost all of their midfielders and their striker touching the ball at least once before he pounced on a half cleared ball that found his path. He took the ball away from his marker before dispatching a deflected shot into the far right corner, again out of Ronnie's reach, 0-4.
At about the 38th minute mark, LFCSG still smell blood and wanted to pour more. They got their golden chance to make it 5-0 but a long range effort was well matched with an outstretched hand of Ronnie palming a certain goal dipping right under the bar, over for a corner.
It finished 4-0 at half time, Team SESC still did not know what hit them when they retreated for the break.
A changed of personnel was made and at this stage, anything to try and shake up the team would worth a gamble.
The second half began and SESC seemed to be more in control of the game. They moved the ball around more comfortably, looking for openings.
However the LFCSG defence were a tough nut to crack and when they got their chance, a certain Khoo Tian got clean through on goal with only the keeper to beat and he smashed his shot against the woodwork.
An encouraging move from the team in black, on another day the shot would have easily found the net.
There was another great chance which their custodian was up for it despite being left "cold" for most part of the game.
It finished 0-4 and the first half blitz from LFCSG was largely the story of the game that nailed SESC any kind of hope of coming back. Flattering score to LFCSG it may seem but the team they got today seemed to be somewhat different and had two or three players doing the damage. Something SESC did not expect after seeing them played in the 0-0 reverse fixture.
