Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Alpha Cup Match Report #6: PMC vs ACC (2nd November)

PMC gathered at its home ground of Hai Sing to take on the Comets of CMC (ACC) in the final Alpha Cup league match of 2014. A win would mean PMC leap frogging over ACC and avoid the 3rd place team in the league during the knock-out stages, so there was lots to play for.

After some warm-up, the PMC players gathered for a team talk to prep themselves for the match. 





Trying to ensure continuity with previous matches, the team lined up as follows:

Jacob

Justin - Kevin - Daniel Low

Kee Min - Timothy

Eddie - Jeremy Sin - Samuel

Daniel Chen

Winston 

The match started in quite pacy fashion, with the younger legs from ACC trying to cause PMC problems with their probing runs. However, after PMC settled into the match, it was the 'home team' that was dominating possession. It was thus surprising that against this run of play, it was ACC who scored first, when a left wing cross found their forward un-marked to head the ball past Winston in goal. Being 1-0 shocked PMC into action (consistent with previous matches) and Jacob's high pressing allowed him to rob the ball from the ACC defender and fire it past the GK to make it 1-1. PMC took a lot of confidence from Jacob's goal and continued to dominate the play in midfield. ACC was hardly able to threaten except for 1 or 2 counter-attacks that did not trouble the PMC defence or GK. Close to the 3/4 point of the match, Jacob's high energy play was again rewarded when he was able to take on the defence and score. Jacob's start as a forward was certainly reaping benefits as PMC was able to ride out the first half 2-1 ahead.

David Sng and Joel joined in the fray in the second half, coming on for Eddie and Kevin. The fresh legs hoped to give PMC a bigger lead, but was unable to do so. PMC was able to defend its lead throughout the half, despite ACC threatening on more than one occasion. On PMC's part, although a few chances were created, there was not enough finishing power. Kevin came back on to add a bit more freshness, with Justin taking a breather. Jacob had one or two half chances, was unable to convert them. The lack of finishing proved costly, as in the last minute of the game, the ACC winger was able to take on 2 PMC defenders and fire an unstoppable shot past Winston, leaving both teams with a share of the points.

All in all, it was a good game by PMC, but perhaps the lack of finishing and fully exerting itself on the match proved its own undoing.