Sunday, October 09, 2005

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Painful but absolutely Essential

The title sums up what I believe was the lesson to have been learnt from Saturday's defeat. The game which took place under the searing hot afternoon sun saw our team beaten 3 - 2 by a youth side, amicably called the Yellow Submarines, which showed passion and the drive to win. Whilst the failings of the team should be brought to light, it is with great pleasure that I discuss the strength displayed by the opposition who were 5 years our junior. Each and every individual committed his entire effort to the team, chasing down every ball and packing the defence, choking our forwards thus giving them little chance on goal. Tackles and challenges were aplenty, even if a good number of them were mistimed and badly executed. Still, it demonstrated the grit that the youths possessed in wanting to prove something to both their opponents and themselves.

Being caught badly off-guard, the opposition established a 2 - 0 advantage early on in the first half, scoring from a free-kick and subsequently from open play. To the Reds' credit, the fight back saw them earn a penalty, sweetly converted by Wong Keng, and strike from Roger that went down the center, putting the teams level at 2 - 2 by the break. At half-time, the Reds' saw their squad depleted with the departure of 2 players and thus began the second half with a 9-men squad. Under the pressure of the heat and the hard Mountbatten ground, several players found themselves unequal to the physical challenge of the game with cramps ensuing. With 35 mins left on the clock, the Reds were boosted with the arrival of the team star defender, Ivan, who arrived to shore up the defensive line.

Nonetheless, 10 minutes from time, a splended solo effort from the opposition right winger saw him cut past the defence and down the right flank to slide an inviting pass across the goal mouth. The tap-in finish was as easy as they come with the Subs captain, Jia Yi, hitting the back of the net to put his team ahead. With the very real threat of defeat looming in the distance, the Reds pressed on urgently in a vain attempt to at least finish level. Showing true character, the opposition's defence thwarted all attempts on goal to hold out for what was surely a deserved win against purportedly tougher opposition.

Man of the Match:

Tianhao


| The Reds Scored @ 6:54 AM|

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