Central Park

2

vs

Barclays Capital

3

Central Park 8 games unbeaten run came to a halt after they go down 2-3 to Barclays Capital on Sunday. The writings were probably on the wall for the past few games when the defense were caught wanting in the final few minutes of the games and this time round, they were punished for some slack marking leading to the winner.

The team started the game missing the likes of Naoki and Jensen for the game. Nonetheless, the return of Na'eem and Jeremy Lee look to somehow make up for their absence. Sharks started brightly between the two teams as the took the game by the scruff of their neck and were duly rewarded when Heng Li put Na'eem thru for the opener and the latter made no mistake to give his team the lead in the 4th minute. The team could have added that early lead into a comfortable one when the likes of Murugesan and Na'eem found themselves clear against the ageing Barclays defense but coupled with an excellent custodian in the opposition lineup and lack of finishing from both the forwards, the scoreline remained intact. On the end, Barclays were often dangerous with their set-pieces and they pulled a goal back against the run of play in the 20th minute to level the game. That set the tempo of the game as both sides tried each other in the final third before Na'eem restored the lead for his team with his trademark swizzle inside the area as the Sharks go into the break with a slender 2-1 lead.

Second half started with Sharks yet again creating opportunities in front of goal but they were often denied by some great goalkeeping and it seemed the with the number of opportunities the Sharks failed to capitalise, it seemed déjà vu when Barclays capitalise on some indifferent defending from the boys off a free-kick as they level the game. With their tails up, Barclays came looking for the winner as they looked the hungrier side with more running and some no-nonsense defending. As the clock ticked by, off a short corner, the opposition took the lead for the first time in the game. At the other end, Charlson and Stefan came close to leveling the score when their header just missed the target narrowly. In the final moments of the game, Nuriman found himself in front of the gaping goal after the custodian pulled off yet another save, but he too left his scoring boots somewhere else but the field.

The exasperated manager commented, 'It was probably the wake-up call the team needed. There were alarm bells ringing especially the way the team are defending at the moment and the rot just have to stop.