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Another tough test awaited Central Park as they took on the much-improved Usual Suspects side, who boasted a contingent of players all at least 6-feet tall. The Sharks were once again missing a regular goalkeeper, but this time Chris did a tremendous job deputizing between the posts for Mizan.
Harold had picked up a training ground injury and was limited to the use of his left leg, but he still commanded a place in the starting lineup. Jason too was a rare first-11 selection, partnering Isaac up front.
Both sides kicked off in the blazing hot sun, playing on the small Peirce Secondary School pitch for the first time. The Usual Suspects quickly took control of the game, and began pelting the Shark’s penalty area with long balls. However the central pairing of Anuar and Vince held firm, denying the boys in white any clear chances on goal. Still, Chris was kept busy and consistently showed a safe pair of hands. Harold was the first casualty of the game early on, and was replaced by Ian. Having to shift to the left side of midfield, Jason began to have an impact on the game. A move down the left saw him cut past his marker and swing in a low cross.
A miscue by a defender put Isaac in the clear and the forward made no mistake, slamming the ball past the keeper at close range. The goal seemed to lift the Sharks, who started to assert themselves. Minutes later, Isaac had another chance on the edge of the box, but he shot wide. Good work by diminutive striker Heng Li then set up Isaac with only the keeper to beat. The target man somehow contrived to lose control of the ball, which the custodian happily parried away.
Then came a moment of controversy. After a harmless Usual Suspects corner was cleared away, the referee ordered the set piece retaken, to the bewilderment of the boys in yellow. The whites converted the subsequent corner, when the striker arrived ahead of Chris to head home. With things all square, the Suspects began attacking with more fervor. Jeffrey in particular was given a torrid time by their left winger. Finally one such foray beat the fullback, and Vince had little choice but to upend the speedster, who made a meal of the slight tug. Chris however kept his composure and saved the resulting penalty when it looked destined for the top corner.
Zhuoneng eventually made his appearance in the second half, replacing the tiring Jeffrey. Brendan made his debut for Central Park, replacing Ian on the right. The Suspects seemed more determined than ever, and peppered the Sharks defence with long passes and shots. But their all-out attack tactics left space for Central Park to exploit, and they took full advantage. Jason and Brandon were put through down the flanks time and again, but their crosses were well cleared by the towering Suspects’ defence.
They weren’t completely infallible though, and proved that when Heng Li swung in a corner to the near-post. The Suspects’ captain scuffed his clearance, and Jason headed the ball past the keeper at point blank range for an unlikely lead. The Suspects couldn’t believe they were behind and continued to burst forward in numbers. Chris proved his worth once again when a Suspects striker unleashed a goal-bound shot, after finding himself in the clear. The big Aussie reacted swiftly to palm the ball round the post. The relentless pressure though, finally took its toll. Another corner for the Suspects was headed home with aplomb, when Issac lost his man in the box.
Central Park’s counterattacks still looked dangerous however. Heng Li and Jason soon found themselves clear with only 1 defender to beat. But the former’s pass proved too heavy and the chance was wasted. Harold also had an opportunity when put through down the right, but the Suspects keeper saved his shot well. The whites never stopped pushing for all three points, and they won themselves a corner in the dying seconds of the game.
This last chance was well taken by their midfielder, who slipped his marker to power the ball into the far post. Three corners settled the game for the Suspects, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of the Sharks, who deserved at least a draw for their efforts.
The disappointed manager commented, 'The 3 points was all for the taking but somehow, we didn't make the chances count. We were struggling in the 2nd half and couldn't hold up the ball to cause any danger especially in the last 10 minutes of the game.'
He added, 'It was disappointing to lose that way but the boys need to bounce back this coming weekend'.
When he was further asked about Jason's inclusion in the team, he said, 'He got himself in the scoresheet again but besides that, he needs to improve his game all-round to cement his place further.' |
