Laser Wars!

Jaz and myself are planning a last minute gathering for the players to bond. I’m sure some of you might have made plans, but for those who are contemplating activities for this Sunday, feel free to join us!

Where? CDANS Bukit Batok

What? Laser quest (players strap on vests, carry futuristic laser guns and shoot each other to kingdom come!) bowling, gym or whatever suits your fancy.

When? Sunday, 27th July 2008, at about 2-3pm.

Who? Bring whoever you want! WAGs, kids, parents…

Bring cash along! How much? As much as you want! Hope to see you guys there tomorrow. Any queries? Call Jaz or myself and we’ll be glad to help! Or leave a comment…

MERSING TRIP!

Program
Saturday, 9th August 2008
Morning- Set off from Singapore
Late morning or early afternoon – Makan session! Head to Telok Sari where we will spend the night. Put bags. Free and easy and prepare for match.
3.30pm – Leave for match location, most probably at a local school
5pm – KICK OFF!
8pm – Return to Telok Sari and wash-up.
Night – BBQ, lepak2, talk cock, sing song and play mahjong or whatever it is that you people play.
Late night – Fishing. Whack Aki. Sit around, tell ghost stories. Bully Aki.  Look for ghosts, kacau anak dara kampung. Make fun of Aki. Urut special dari Jaz. Don’t want? Go sleep then! Oh, did I say we will play around with Aki?

Sunday, 10th August 2008
Morning-Mandi laut, perigi, sungai dan kawasan2 yang sewaktu dengannya.
Afternoon-Head back home
Evening-Back in Singapore and ready for work the next day. Boo hoo!!

Cost: $50 (for an overnight trip! An offer not to be missed!)

Any queries please contact Azam, Azhar or leave a comment and we will get back to you.

Missing the Mark

Redbacks: 3
Pioneer Utd: 4

Venue: Yio Chu Kang Sec Sch

Scorers: Ayyub, Aki, Mok

The Spiders were edged out by a team that apparently is very well-versed in the art of taking set-pieces. Captain was late today and we were left to fend for ourselves. We welcomed new players Taufik, Fadly, Kamal and Aidil into the team. 3 of the new faces started the match. We got off to a flying start, scoring two goals early in the game.

First, a clearance by Aki was headed on by Kai. Ayyub took two brilliant touches, first to take the ball past the defender and the second to lift the ball over the onrushing keeper into the empty net for the opening goal.

The second goal was obtained from a corner. Ayyub hit the ball towards the near post and R. Aki-kumar popped up to score the second goal with his shoulder blade. It was just reward for the player selected to fill the role of our captain in the heart of midfield. He truly is Mr. Versatile.

Then nightmare struck. The urgency disappeared and we began losing the ball and committing fouls. Fadly was caught shoving a player in the penalty box and Pioneer pulled one back. Soon after, they equalized from another set-piece. Faiz kicked at one of their players, and their midfielder stepped up to curl a superb free kick into the top corner of the net. No chance Rizal.

Is it any surprise that we started conceding once Abang Sani had to limp off due to an injury? Rizal unfortunately joined our Iron Man at the sidelines after sustaining an injury from taking a goal kick. Unfortunately, the ball went straight to an opponent and he gleefully hit the ball into the unguarded net.

In the second half, the Spiders worked hard to get back into the game and Mok proved that he can sprint after all! Outrunning the defenders, he placed the ball to the keeper’s left to get us back into the game. Sensing a chance to win the game, the Spiders went on the offensive. However, we left gaps at the back and Pioneer gained another free kick. This time, they took it quickly and after a few interchanging of passes, took the lead through a fierce drive.

We had a great opportunity to equalize when Kamal was fouled in the box. Kai stepped up to take the kick and saw his shot bouncing off the inside of the left upright agonizingly. He will now have to make good on his promise not to take any more penalty kicks for the team. The team poured forward to salvage the game, but in the end, we just did not have enough time.

Sterile

Dark Blues: 2
Redbacks: 0

Venue: Punggol Sec Sch

If we could use one word to describe our performance just now, it would have been sterile. There were only 10 players available for selection. We had to borrow a goalkeeper from last week’s opponents, albeit only for one half. The good news is we broke our streak of draws, the bad news is we lost the game. It was truly a rare collector’s item, just one of the few matches that we failed to score!

A lot of regular faces were missing and with Fauzi beginning his National Service, there was no keeper to call upon. Our stand-in did credibly well, but even he could not stop our opponents from scoring twice. The display was lacking spirit and cutting edge in the first half. However, there were a few bright spots. Aki, restored upfront, had a few chances to score but unfortunately was unable to apply the finishing touch. Lady Luck seemed to have deserted the Spiders as many chances went begging.

Our opponents were content to sit back and repel waves of the Spiders attack. Ming broke clear of the defense on a few occasions but he too lacked composure to slot the ball into the goal. Credit to him though, without his resilience and determination, those chances wouldn’t have been created in the first place.

Kudos to Hisham for stepping up to play in goal in the second half. His presence clearly unsettled the opponents and he provided a calming influence for the Redbacks to build on. However, it was clear that the Spiders were not playing to our capability, failing to string passes as we usually do. Our opponents, on the other hand, showed great comfort on the ball and it is something that the Spiders can learn from.

Still, we can take heart from the fact that we never gave in and until the final whistle, we continued trying hard to break down our opponents. We do hope to see more Spiders in future matches as this low turnout is becoming a really scary trend. Every player is important and I think it’s time all of us stand up and be counted.

Oh, did I mention that Ajis returned and played a credible game as lastman? Together with Bob, their defending was truly a sight to behold. We always welcome long-lost Spiders. Hope to see them on a more regular basis.

Chasing the Game

Green Goblins: 4
Redbacks: 4

Venue: Ahmad Ibrahim Sec Sch
Scorers: Ayyub x 2, Faiz, Wan Jr.

AISS has always been a good hunting ground for the Spiders. However, this was not to be one of those days. It was a nightmare start for the Spiders, conceding two quick goals in the first 10 minutes. Everyone seemed to be affected by the early kick-off. I swear I saw some players sleeping as they were calling for the ball and running around the field!

Even so, we were confident in our ability to score goals. We always score. Ayyub pulled one back for the Spiders. Receiving the ball in midfield, Faiz spotted the run of Ayyub before lofting the ball into the striker’s path. Our top scorer did not disappoint, stroking the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

As we went in search for the equalizer, we inevitably left gaps at the back. Kai narrowly scored from a corner and was unfortunate to see his effort cannon off Ayyub. From the ensuing counter attack, the GG doubled their lead, leaving the Spiders with a mountain to climb.

Still, we were not disheartened. Ayyub received the ball near the byline and his cutback was met with a fierce low drive from Faiz. Having seen an earlier shot stopped by the keeper’s feet, he was not to be disappointed this time. The keeper tried the same trick but completely missed his kick. 3-2! “Not every Sunday!” shouted Faiz.

Before starting the second half, the team huddled and dedicated the next period of play to Aki’s mum, who is reportedly undergoing a steady recovery. Hooray! We started full of fervor and made a few threatening attacks. Then, a defender’s clearance ricocheted off Ming’s knee and the rebound fell kindly to Ayyub who broke clear. He showed more of his clinical finishing and pulled the team level. 

Just when we thought the match was ours for the taking, GG struck again through another well-worked counter attack. We should really learn how to defend better as a team. Jaz (who decided to play for them when they were short of players) broke free on the right after escaping the attention of Bob. He played the ball across for a GG striker to score from an easy tap in. 

The Spiders were then awarded a penalty after Azhar was brought down in the box. Our captain decided to go for something cute. His plan was to play a one-two with Kai before scoring. That was the plan until Kai had other plans. Instead of passing back to Azhar, he shot. To his horror, the rotund goalkeeper saved it with his feet! GG, apparently puzzled by the legality of the kick, hesitated and in all the confusion, Wan Jr. popped out of nowhere to knock the ball into the net. Kai breathed easy and that’s was how the game ended.