CJC Soccer Team vs Team Slayers, 2-1Date: 9 August 2008
Venue: Bendemeer Secondary Field
Kick-off time: 3.10pm
Full-time: 4.50
Weather conditions: Overcast, Drizzles
Pitch condition: Dry
Referee: Ref Tay
Team Slayers Squad4. Daryl5. Chien Ming7. Shawn9. Christopher10. Zi Xiang11. Ying Lun12. Jun Jie14. Ting Soon15. Bo Yang17. Lucas27. JeremyGuest Players6. Ivan8. AfiqGuan MingWei CongDisciplinary0
Yellow Cards0
Red CardsInjury During MatchNil
ReportIt was a match that marked the 2nd anniversary since Slayers' had their first ever official match against a SJI Selection. National Day 2008 was Match Day against the CJCians at Bendemeer Secondary. There were many familiar faces in the Catholic Junior College soccer team for some members in the Slayers camp, but there was no time to reminisce good ol' times.
Member of both teams, Benedict, was playing right back for the CJ team with star keeper Ignatius between the sticks. The game started out with both teams getting their share of attacks spearheaded by 10. Zi Xiang for Slayers and CJ star striker Brandon for CJC.
However, CJC was first to threaten with a long range effort by Brandon which went wide of 14. Ting Soon's post. The focal point was soon turned to the other side of the field when left midfielder of the day 17. Lucas, cut in field, dribbled around the opponent's penalty box and let fly a dipping left footed shot that forced the CJ keeper to back peddle but could not perform a clean save. The ball bounced out of his arms and hit against the crossbar, before it was finally secured.
Goals are almost guranteed in every amatuer match, and this was no exception. CJC drew first blood, when 5. Ming failed to control a long throw in by fellow defender 4. Daryl and Brandon robbed the ball off the centre back before unleashing a ferocious half volley that 14. Ting Soon could only deflect it onto the underside of crossbar but couldn't prevent it from going into the net to change the scoreline to 1-0. Slayers were devastated to concede against the run of play but tried hard to get themselves back into the game.
11. Ying Lun, 10. Zi Xiang and 17. Lucas combined well on the left side on route to goal, playing in a well contructed triangle to ghost pass the CJ defence on many occasions. 9. Christopher did a fantastic job in controlling the Slayers' engine room with tireless running and pulling the strings between defence and attack. There was no doubt the midfielders were doing their job defending when 7. Shawn made a rare defensive header after a long punt landed in Slayers territory, 11. Ying Lun and 9. Christopher coming back often to break the counter attack even before the ball reached the final third.
However, credit has to be given to the defenders who played well neutralising a deadly CJ strikeforce comprising of Brandon, Khairul, Arnold and Ruddy for long periods. Guest player 8. Afiq did well to counter Arnold, while 4. Daryl frustrated Ruddy with several winning sprints and the central defence pairing of 5. Ming and 15. Bo Yang cancelled out the centre forwards' one-twos and through passes.
Just 1 minute before the half ended, Slayers built from the back after a CJ counter attack failed and equalized. 4. Daryl cleared the ball from the box to 27. Jeremy who did well to shield and pass to 9. Christopher for a bursting run into the opponent box. The CJ centreback did a desperate sliding tackle to halt the dangerous number 9 but the latter was quick to release the ball to 12. Jun Jie who came in from the flank and let fly a curling hard drive at the near post which the keeper could only parry and the spin of the ball took it across the line. 1-1.
The second half presented a new look on the Slayers team with 7. Shawn moving up front with 10. Zi Xiang while 12. Jun Jie hugged the left touchline, substituting 17. Lucas out. A balance was struck when 11. Ying Lun and 9. Christopher rotated their duties of attack and staying back. Slayers' launched a string of attacks but could not shake the CJ defence even though it was made up of mainly desperate clearances and headers.
Disaster struck for Slayers when a throw in on the right side eluded both 15. Bo Yang and 5. Ming for Brandon to hold the ball on the edge of the box. The striker squared the ball back to Ruddy who took advantage of the defence mix up and buried the ball with a rolling shot into the bottom right hand corner of the goal, with 14. Ting Soon rooted to the spot.
Slayers pressed on even more but the chances were rare to come by when the CJ defence was water tight. Conversely, keeper Ignatius captitalized on the large numbers of Slayers in the CJ half and sent long balls to the forwards and wingers to run for. There were many close shaves and attacks down the left flank but 8. Afiq did well to hold off the threat with 9. Christopher's help. 15. Bo Yang did his job as usual to win the first time headers and take the routine goal kicks, while 14. Ting Soon made no mistakes with his drop kicks.
The threat Brandon was having never died off and was clear when he left 5. Ming for dead and let fly a shot past the advancing 14. Ting Soon only for the ball to bounce off the cross bar and easy for 4. Daryl to clear. On another occasion, Brandon ran freely towards the Slayers defence and squared the ball to Ruddy on the right side after luring 5. Ming and 15. Bo Yang but 4. Daryl was quick to intercept and clear off Ruddy.
Chaos broke out in the CJ penalty box when 10. Zi Xiang and Guan Ming did a move to pressure the CJ centreback into a back pass that keeper Ignatius picked up near the bye line. The referee immediatedly blew for foul and gave an indirect free kick to Slayers in the box. However, it all came to waste when 10. Zi Xiang blasted the ball way above the cross bar when the wall broke apart to pressure him.
The free running 9. Christopher was fouled about 35 metres from goal and 10. Zi Xiang again, attempted to shoot from the distance after turning away requests from 15. Bo Yang. 8. Afiq, 11. Ying Lun, 17. Lucas, and 10. Zi Xiang all linked well with a multi triangle that stunned the opposition with neat passing. The move eventually broke down and the lime light turned to CJ team again.
This time Brandon set up Khairul with a shot in the box but was blocked desperately by 4. Daryl. Soon after, 5. Ming finally managed to halt Brandon with a sliding last ditch tackle that denied him a clear goal scoring opportunity. 27. Jeremy picked up play several times on the right side and linked well with 9. Christopher to create various opportunities for the team. Ivan and Wei Cong had several minutes of cameo appearances but failed to make an immediate impact.
In the end, it was not a day for Slayers to celebrate when the ref blew for full time to end a game that possession does not count for everything but successful counter attacks do.
Final score, CJC soccer team 2, Team Slayers 1. 
