Evens Stevens

Redbacks: 2
Pathfinder: 2

Venue: Serangoon Secondary School

Scorers: Hidayat, Aki

The Spiders earned their first point of the season in a hard-fought match. A clash of colours meant that the Redbacks had to turn out in white. The variety of white jerseys on display prompted the referee to ask if the team is taking part in the league for the first time! In essence, it appeared so as there were many new faces in the team as we continued our rebuilding process.

Both teams were gunning for the win given the attacking approach employed. Pathfinder threatened early in the game but custodian Samy did well to deflect the ball away with his foot. It took a while for the Spiders to get going. Kai found himself in a good position in the box but his left-foot shot was well saved by the opposing goalkeeper.

The Redbacks struck first after a head-on by Hilmi was met by Hidayat with a sweet lob over the goalkeeper. However, Pathfinder hit back, equalizing through an exquisite free kick. The team traded blows like two evenly-matched boxers afterwards but neither was able to go into the break with the lead.

In the second half, both team surged forward to wrest control of the game. Midway through the half, Samy scuffed his goal kick. The ball ended at the feet of a Pathfinder player and he produced a clinical finish to put the Spiders against the wall. It prompted the re-introduction of Aidil and Aki into the fray. It would turn out to be an inspired move.

Aidil’s pace direct approach troubled Pathfinder but it seems that Aki would be the one they would remember for some time. First, he earned a penalty for the team after being fouled in the box. Mok stepped up for the penalty. After his blockbuster shot last week, many were expecting this penalty to be a formality. To everyone’s surprise (and horror), his powerful shot was blocked by the keeper with his foot!

Thankfully, the team did not let their heads down after the miss. Hidayat’s corner was met with a powerful header and a goal was earned via the crossbar. The teams were level! Sensing that the game was there to be won, both teams went for the jugular. Pathfiner eventually found the upperhand and dictated the play due to their superior fitness. However, it was the Spiders who almost stole the victory. An interchange of passes between Hidayat and Azhar put our captain through on goal. Unfortunately, his powerful shot flashed just wide.

Still, it was a good result considering the circumstances. It’s important that we get our first point as it is something that we can build on in future matches. Those who were injured, get well soon. We have a break next week, so see all of you for a friendly match!

Team (3-5-2): Samy, Azhar, Aidil, Sani, Rosli, Fairuz, Jaz, Hidayat, Aki, Kai, Hilmi
Subs: Bob, Aziz, Mok, Azli

Experience Rules

Redbacks: 2
FC Simpang: 5

Venue: Anderson Sec Sch
Scorers: Hilmi, Own goal

A rock-hard pitch welcomed the Spiders for their first game of the new season. Their opponents: FC Simpang, a team that reminded us a lot of K-1-K FU. A team made up of young Malay chaps. A team decked out in black. The only difference, FC Simpang is more classy, professional and respectable. Therefore the scoreline was not much of a surprise. Credit to the Spiders though, we pushed them all the way and gave Simpang the biggest fight we could.

A lack of defensive personnel meant that Azhar had to reshuffle his team. Last week’s strike partners, Kai and Sani, kept each other company again, only this time, it was in the backline. Azhar was a little worried that the lack of pace would be exposed by our younger, faster and fitter opponents. His fears were justified as Simpang ran circles around the Spiders. The backline struggled to contain our opponents. Amazingly, they only had one goal to show for in the first half due to some poor finishing.

The Redbacks then reverted to our favoured 3-5-2 formation for the second half. Kai returned upfront to partner Hilmi. Bob’s introduction to the game brought much needed steel and grit that were missing in the first half. The Spiders made some headway but the change in formation meant that there were more gaps at the back to exploit. Simpang duly took advantage by scoring two goals in quick succession. Surely, there was no way back.

As Simpang sat back, Redbacks went for broke and committed men forward. The first goal was obtained when Mok’s stunning shot crashed off the crossbar. Hilmi tried to control the ball on his thigh, but the ball bounced off his chin instead and fortituously bounced itself into the empty goal. The man who is one of the quickest runner in the country then went on a breathtaking run that brought him close to Simpang’s goal. A defender attempted a last-ditch tackle, but he only succeeded in hitting the ball into his own net. Was another famous Spiders comeback on the cards?

Unfortunately, it was not meant to be as Simpang scored another 2 goals to put the result beyond doubt. Despite the loss, the players were upbeat about the game and generally enjoyed a match played in good spirits. This new season will be a challenging one with the introduction of many new teams. Regardless of the challenges, the players will be ready.

Team (4-5-1): Desmond, Wan Jr., Azam, Sani, Kai, Azhar, Jaz, Aidil, Jason, Mok, Hilmi
Subs: Irwando, Bob, Emir

Outstanding!

Redbacks: 6
OK PE FC: 0

Venue: Canberra Sec Sch
Scorers: Wan Jr. (3), Sani, Azhar, Jaz

This was one of those games where everything went right on both ends of the pitch. The Spiders roared (well if spiders could roar that is) to an emphatic win. It was great preparation for a new season of the D2D league and it was an excellent way to kick start our rebuilding process.

We employed a 3-5-2 system for this match. Newbie Desmond was in goal. The Three Amigos: Aziz, Bob and Zaini were the 3 stoppers. Azhar anchored the midfield with Jaz, Azam, Aidil and Wan Jr. For the first time ever, big men Abang Sani and Kai started upfront. It didn’t take long for the team to score the opener. Jaz played an intelligent through ball and Wan Jr. was the quickest to it, beating the keeper and slotting the ball into an empty net.

The second goal was scored from a corner. Jaz played an intelligent ball into the penalty area and to everyone’s surprise, Wan Jr. rose the highest to glance the ball past the keeper for his second goal! Our pocket dynamo was having the match of his life. Abang Sani soon got into the act. He always scores every season and when he does, it’s always a classic. This was no different. Picking up a loose ball from Kai, he rounded the keeper before putting the ball into the empty goal. That’s a half centurion showing the younger ones how it’s done!

From a swift counter attack, Wan Jr. once again found space on the left side of the field. He cut the ball back and Captain Marvel Azhar was there to lash the ball past the goalkeeper. 4-0 to the Spiders at half-time.

More new faces were injected into the team in the second half. Kannan, Jason, Alan, Muhaimin and Syahrein joined the fray and were able to fit seamlessly into the team following some instructions from Captain. We stuck to the game plan but without our influential captain dictating the play, OK PE slowly got back into the game. Frustration was getting the better of their players as they overreacted to some challenges of the fired-up Spiders.

When Captain re-entered the fray, the momentum shifted back to the Redbacks. Wan Jr. found himself in space on the right side of the pitch. With nobody available to pass to, he took matters into his own hands and powered the ball at the near post for his hat-trick. He joins a short list of players to achieve that mark.

We’re not done yet. This time Jaz got into the act. Receiving a throw-in from Aidil, he twisted and turned before releasing a screamer that went into the top corner of the net. A goal similar to the first one he scored this year at Woodgrove Secondary. However, this performance was not only about the attackers. The defenders played a crucial part as well, keeping OK PE at bay time and again. When the defence were beaten, OK PE found Desmond in inspired form. Our custodian made an excellent one-on-one save to keep his clean sheet intact. You could hear the fans chanting, “Sign him up! Sign him up!”

Team (3-5-2): Desmond, Zaini, Bob, Aziz, Wan Jr., Aidil, Azam, Azhar, Jaz, Kai, Sani
Subs: Alan, Kannan, Jason, Muhaimin, Syahrein

D2D Review

Disclaimer: The opinions and thoughts shared below were gathered through casual conversations and observations on games made over the last few months. They are to be taken with a pinch of salt and to be used as a personal reflection to prepare ourselves for the new season. Do leave your own thoughts and comments on the league.

Overall Performance
14 games have been completed. This is how the team did.

Game 1: vs Monforto – 5:3
Game 2: vs Corpus Christi – 7:0
Game 3: vs K-1-K FU – 2:0
Game 4: vs Mammoet – 1:0
Game 5: vs K-1-K FU – 1-4
Game 6: vs Ventz – 1:3
Game 7: vs RSM – 1:1
Game 8: vs Monforto – 4:1
Game 9: vs Mammoet – 0:2
Game 10: vs Apex Rangers – 1:2
Game 11: vs RSM – 0:2
Game 12: vs Corpus Christi – 1:0
Game 13: vs Ventz – 2:3
Game 14: vs Apex Rangers – 1:6

Our record stands at 6 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses. A classic Jekyll and Hyde performance considering we started off the league with 4 consecutive wins. After that, we became the team everyone wanted to beat. And they did, one after another. There were many learning points to take away from our slump. The most salient one would be how the teams prepared for the return leg against us. Apart from Monforto, the other teams introduced measures into the game, such as locking down Azhar and playing the ball over the top to exploit our backine, to record improved results in the return matches. We were unable to counter with our own game plan and as a result, steadily slipped down the table. Still, the overall experience was positive with our general play showing signs of improvement and we look to perform even better in this coming season.

Now, let’s look at how our various departments did.

Defense
One of the biggest problems has been the absence of a regular goalkeeper. For a while, Wan filled that gap but his recent absence has made the Spiders sweat on a few occassions. Regardless of which position he prefers, Oggy is better suited as a defender. Surprisingly, Aki has been an able deputy to call upon, but he will tell you that he is not looking at taking up the gloves on a permanent basis. The backline really suffered due to a lack of stability due to constant chopping and changing of personnel. Players earmarked to lead such as Taufik and Irwan were often unable to attend games due to personal commitments. Without a defensive leader, we suffered. Abang Sani, Bob, Aziz and Zaini has performed credibly so far, but with age catching up, it will be increasingly challenging for them to keep attackers at bay. Thus, the defence needs more protection from the other players in the team. Last week, Apex showed how it should be done, with many players coming back to defend, denying our attackers time and space. Defense is all about numbers. 5 defenders against 5 attackers is truly a recipe of disaster. A standout performer would be Aidil who has brought freshness and tenacity to the team. Together with Wan Jr., they are our very own version of Cafu and Roberto Carlos in their heydays. Truly, the two of them are the future of the team and we look forward to them maturing into better players this coming season.

Midfield
Captain Azhar has led by example. Ever-present in the middle, he has set the tempo for the team and guiding the players to attain the standard of football that we have the potential to achieve. The argument on whether Jaz is better in the middle or the right will forever rage as Jaz himself continues to battle with his fitness. Mok has been outstanding and consistent on the left whenever called upon. Faiz represents the future here, showing great composure and vision in recent games. His game has improved tremendously since he joined the team and he definitely has what it takes to be a key player for the Spiders in the future. However, as a unit, the midfield could do better by providing better cover for the defense and contributing to the “Goals For” column. It is very unlike them to be a little goal-shy lately, considering that the midfield has always been a healthy source of goals for the team over the years. The midfield does deserve top marks for setting the tone of the passing game we desperately want to master.

Forwards
The lethal combination of Ayyub and Kai has struggled this season. While Ayyub is still scoring and inspiring the team with his all-action approach and high work-rate, Kai definitely needs to up his game. A return of just 3 goals in 14 games is just not good enough. Ayat has been the star performer of the team. The top scorer is getting more clinical as the weeks go by and the team obviously misses his presence up front in recent matches. Besides Ayat, another player that deserve special mention is Ming. The dimunitive striker has notched 2 hat-tricks this year. Although they were not scored in league matches, it shows the potential that he has. His never-say-die attitude and physical style will always trouble even the sturdiest of defences. The team is still awaiting for the real Aki to appear. The unofficial “Player of the Season” in our maiden year has been lost in the wilderness since exploding in our year of inception. There are positive signs lately and we hope the Aki we love will come back soon.

In conclusion
The league has been a positive experience. The team’s overall play is improving. We can look to the two trashings we handed out to our opponents in friendly games played mid-season. Individually, players have grown too, benefitting from playing against top-notch opponents. Now we must look forward to the next season and strive to play even better than before. However, I urge everyone to remember that above results and victories, we must always remember to preserve team harmony and the enjoyment factor. Because at the end of the day, we’re all here to have fun and destress and enjoy our time together.

LIKE ALL FAMILIES SHOULD.

REDBACKS FOREVER!

The Curtain Call

Redbacks: 1
Apex Rangers: 6

Apex Rangers showed the Spiders why they are top team in the league in the last game of the season. Due to the shortage of players, Capt and Kai had to rope in some help to top up the team. The team barely settled in the game when Apex scored their first goal of the game. With so many new players, the team struggled to find our rhythm. Apex took full advantage, capitalizing on every mistake that the Redbacks committed and scored goal after goal.

Things got better in the second half as the introduction of Bob and Aziz brought stability to the backline. With Azhar dropping back as lastman, the defense transformed into a formidable unit. We managed to score our consolation goal after some good work by Aidil on the right. He hugged the byline and crossed for guest player Fahmi to simply tap the ball into an unguarded goal. In a way, you could say it was a game to two halves. The second half was interrupted though by the presence of a parking attendant. It made many players leave the field to play to move their vehicles to legal parking lots! Not wanting the game to be delayed for too long, the referee continued with the game and turned it into a 7-a-side match! Bizarre.

Some of the players then gathered at Jalan Kayu for dinner and had a discussion about the direction of the team. After much deliberation, it has been decided that the team will continue with another season of the D2D League, given the positive feedback shared during dinner. To help with the dwindling attendance, the team has decided to scout for committed recruits so that we may grow as a team. We won’t have to wait that long for the new season to start though. It starts NEXT WEEK! Jeng jeng jeng!