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Sharks were looking for favors before the kickoff from Andernese before the kickoff of their game against Barclays Capital, with the latter needing a victory to put pressure on the Sharks while a defeat would mean that Sharks will capture the 2nd automatic promotion place to Division 3 next season without even kicking the ball. However, with Andernese fielding a depleted side going down 6-0, Sharks knew that the pressure was on them to take that promotion place. On paper, Sharks had an abundance of players to choose from with no less than 19 players up for challenge. DHL on the other hand, were no pushovers with a good turnout themselves.
The game kicked off to a frantic pace with DHL off the blocks quicker between the two sides and with Sharks naturally feeling the tension of the game, somehow were lacking any real intention in the opening exchanges. With the game only 5 minutes old, Sharks could themselves lucky not to be playing with 10 man when the referee awarded a controversial decision when Zhuoneng was adjudged to have brought his man down, enroute to goal. Despite the tension, the referee only awarded a free-kick just outside the area. In truth, it wasn't a tough call with Jiayong the instigator with Zhuoneng being the last man in defense. That decision seemed to affect DHL pattern of play and their incessant dissent could have probably contributed to the opening goal. Murugesan gathering the ball in middle and releasing Heng Li, who had no problems outrunning his marker and found the back of the net for the opener. Against the run of play, Sharks took the lead. Something they badly needed to calm any nerves from the team. The goal seemed to setup the team pretty nicely with Graeme and Jiayong regaining back the midfield against a five man DHL midfield. From thereon, Sharks looks the more menancing side with chances after chances being craved courtesy of Brendan and Harold in the wings. Graeme come closest to increasing his team's lead when his shot just grazed the post.
DHL on the other hand were ever dangerous with their set-plays but Sharks stood firm, as they defended as a unit while the midfielders were working doubly hard to link-up play in the middle. Just when DHL were slowly getting back into the game, Harold came up with something special on the left with Brendan releasing the pacy winger after DHL failed to clear their lines. The winger beat his marker and unleashed a piledriver which somehow caught the custodian off-guard as it crept into the near-post. Two-nil and Sharks were on their way to cementing their place. 9 minutes later, Sharks found the back of the net yet again. This time round, Murugesan found himself with some space as he finished a move started by Heng Li. 3-0 up and Sharks could have got themselves a commanding 4-0 lead, but Murugesan goal was ruled off-side, which left many bemused at the decision of the man in black. With 2 of them against 1, Heng Li squared the ball for Murugesan in the middle with a simple tap-in. Despite the decision, Sharks soldered on and held on to their lead till half-time.
Sharks made several changes in the 2nd half, the gameplan was containment and they did just that, finding space and time as they went on to pressure DHL in the final third. At this point, DHL tried to throw man forward to get something in the game but the dimunitive Steven were at the heart of action every time the opposition began to carve out anything. Andreas on the other hand had a quiet game for his standard while Kit, somehow played with renewed vigor coming on for Harold. With 20mins of the second-half gone, Sharks ensured that victory was theirs when Murugesan split the defense apart and found Andrew whose lanky legs got him into a position with a simple tap-in into goal. That goal was needed to kill off any chance of DHL getting into the game as Sharks began to make changes through-out the game. One notable change was Zhuoneng coming on for the battered Murugesan with 10 minutes to go, just reward for his contribution at every single game, no matter where he plays or how long he plays. He almost got himself on the scoresheet after a mazy run by Jeffrey, but somehow, there was no fairytale ending for him.
At the end of the game, the manager commented, 'We needed to get the job done today and the boys did themselves proud. These are the kind of games where each player in the team wants to be part with. Next week, it's back to EFL action. We just hope to bring our run of form to the Cup game, something we always seemed unable to do.'
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