1st Toa Payoh Sec, 1500 Hrs
Supernova 1 YSOSRS FC 2
(Law x1, Juf x1)
As the cliche goes, 'Rome wasn't built in a day'.
True enough, it has been a long time coming. But 3 seasons in and almost a year and a half as a football team, the boys at YSOSRS FC are gradually showing that we can win games solely based on team spirit. Our very own colosseum has painstakingly been built from scratch by the very members who grace the pitch in white these days. That winning feeling has ever so silently crept into our game play. And for all, the game today at 1st Toa Payoh was a perfect example of it.
13 players turned up on a gloomy day to resume league duties after a 2 week enforced break. Yet despite that, footballing conditions remained perfect with light trickling of rain drops falling throughout the period of the game. The initial signs were that Supernova with whom we have faced 4 times over the period of the last 8 months, were suffering from their usual late-syndrome issues. 7 players with 5 mins to go and then 9 before they eventually started with 10. Their 11th came soon after but the numbers did not stop there to the bewilderment of the gaffer for the jokers. It eventually came to a stand still with 15-16 Nova boys as compared to only 2 subs on the bench for the jokers. Backs to the wall stuff indeed as Nova who were renowned for their midfield 2-some of Ubai and Saifee who have tormented the jokers in the past, now had the additional advantage of strength in numbers.
The early word from our side however was to go for the jugular from the start. True to the word, the jokers burst out of the blocks and pressed all over the pitch with a 442 formation. Half chances came and went but it also meant that there were spaces aplenty for Nova who gradually flooded their midfield. As per our past 2 meetings, the jokers were able to take the lead after a corner from AhCool saw the ball ping around the Nova penalty box for quite abit before the 'lethel' Law pounced on it and slotted home the loose ball.
Fun fact: Law is our highest chinese (race again siol) goalscorer with 22 goals in 3 seasons. It is imperative to note though that the bulk of it came from our 1st season in D2D. Season 2 was a really dry one for the lad but he has finally broken that drop spell. The floodgates are open. We truly hope.
Despite the goal, Nova continued to put in the hardwork and began to win the midfield battle. Neat short passes in the middle saw the jokers having to clock up extra miles in an attempt to keep pace. Yet with that tactic, meant that Nova were lacking an option up front as their striker frequently dropped deep to collect the ball. Half chances at best as it ended 1-0 to us at the break.
Our plan at the half was to keep it tight and to put our chances away when we had them.. This has been an art that the jokers have been perfecting for a season and a half now in our foray into Espzen and lo and behold, it proved effective in the 2nd half today. The ball was given to Nova as they passed and probed in an attempt to breach our goal. The biggest scare came when their right winger/striker wriggled free of 2 challenges and only had Allan in goal to beat. Amazingly, our lumbering Syafiqo, clad in his oh-so-awesome new purple boots put them to great use as he dived at the incoming shot and was able to block it with his legs. In a way, that reignited the team as we woke up from our slumber to regain concentration. A certain goal but for his last ditch challenge. Fantastic there dood! Play continued to flow from end to end as both sides threw caution to the win in an attempt to make their Saturday footie worthwhile by running themselves to the ground.
Toshie boy who had been threatening without truly having a clear opportunity then proceeded to conjure up a piece of magic by himself down the left. Cutting past the Nova rightback, who was at centerback in the 1st half and beared an odd resemblance to a certain Chris Smalling (ran in a similar way to if i may add, hurhur), our foreign talent burst past his marker and towards goal with ease. Facing only the opposing keeper from a relatively acute angle, our boy wonder confidently side footed it but.... could only see his effort bounce agonizingly off the post. Nova's pre-game mantra must have been, 'Anything you can do, I can try to do it better'. Cause one of their midfield generals unleashed a rocket from 30 yards that went airborne for so long. So so long. It eventually took to landing itself on the frame of our goal as time ticked with us only holding a slim lead.
Well, as we have done in the past 2 games with Nova. We scored on the breakaway nearing the end when Tosh showed amazing spring to win a bouncing ball and set our hot shot, Juf away and through on goal. Well, needless to say, our man finished it. With a delicate chip or lob over the keeper. Game, set and match. Or so we thought. Ubai, the Nova captain duly got his team back in with a shout when we really should have closed for business for the day. A dipping one from just outside our box that left Allan gasping for air. Figuratively of course. Alright too tired to go on. Oh... And the ref blew for the final whistle after a couple more punts of the ball.
MOTM: Farhan our returning fullback. Missing in action for almost a month but he showed no sign of rustiness. Lasting the entire game and he was an immovable object at the back. Seriously, unpassable on the day. Watta a player to have. Well done han, and lets keep it up aite!
Gaffer's words: I may be exaggerating here but a certain part of me felt that we were possibly there for the taking especially with Nova having strength in numbers unlike in previous games with the very same opposition. It was not an easy result to obtain today but we were and we did. Kudos to the entire team for playing their part. The defense was rock solid on plenty of occasions and together with a very assured looking Allan, I honestly couldn't see Nova threatening us too much. The midfielders put in a real quality shift today as we ran our legs to the ground. Plus of course, our attacking unit who put away the chances when it mattered. Thank you lads for a memorable afternoon of football. Enjoying the game is what I want and i got it today. The 3 points were an added bonus for us. Anyhow, take care during the week and we will think about Intense in abit. Cheers boys!
Personnel:
Allan
Farhan, Huijie, Hizam, Jason
Santosh, AhCool, Mok, Law, WS, Dinietov, Syafiq
Juf
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