CRC2014 Match Report #7: PMC vs EBC (20th July)

The PMC team gathered at the very large St Wilfred field on a scorching afternoon to take on EBC in its 7th CRC match of the season. Reeling from a number of defeats and battling suspensions and players being unavailable, the PMC team was down to its bare bones with the fewest number of players available for a game this season. Nonetheless, the players who turned up were upbeat and intent on not finishing the league bottom of the table.

Pre-match team photo on the balcony

There were considerable changes to the starting line-up for this match as follows:

David Sng

Eddie - Timothy - Rusydi

Kevin - Kee Min

Damien - Sheldon - Samuel

Felix

Maurice

The big field certainly unsettled the team, even though the 2 previous friendlies had been played on the equally large St Patrick's field. Still, it took some getting used to, with lots of space in between players and balls not reaching their intended target with passes too light and mis-directed. For the first 20min of the match, PMC was soaking and sitting back, without being able to control possession. Felix and Sheldon were marshalling the defence well, with Kee Min and Timothy doing well in the middle to hold the ball, leaving EBC with few good chances. When they did threaten, Maurice was there to sweep up. PMC's first chance signalled the intended route to goal, with an early ball played to Rusydi on the right, who cut in and passed to Kevin in the box, whose shot was blocked by the defender. Other attempts on goal included Damien's left foot free kick which the EBC GK dealt with comfortably. After 15min into the match, the heat had got to Eddie, who had to be replaced with Jeremy Tan. His insertion into the match brought some neat exchanges on the left side of the field, and an instant chance which the EBC GK dealt comfortably with again. It took a route one move to put PMC up in the match. Samuel played an early ball to Rusydi, who looked up, spotted David on the run and played a beautiful cross which David controlled with his thigh, then fire a shot wide into the net with his laces. It was a typical CF goal, which the team celebrated. PMC held on to the lead heading into the break.

The half-time team talk focused on keeping the lead (naturally) through control and not making silly mistakes, as in previous matches. The instruction was to keep play in EBC's half, away from the danger zone close to PMC's goal. The only change made was David coming off, with Isaac replacing him, which meant Jeremy Tan moving upfront with Isaac on the left wing. The shape of the team was good going into the second half, and the early exchanges saw PMC playing to plan. Only a few fouls here and there gave EBC the opportunity to threaten through free kicks, but all these were not on target. PMC tried to soak-and-strike with Jeremy, and then Timothy coming really close. Mid-way through the second half, Joel and Lincoln came on to replace Damien and Felix, with some re-org in the team to see the match through. Both Joel and Lincoln did have good touches and exchanges, but no clear cut opportunities were created. The important part of the job was holding EBC, and this was done, with PMC leaving the field 1-0 winners, and another 3 points in the bag for the season. It was a hard fought match under hot conditions, but certainly well-deserved after the hard work on the field.