2008 NTUC
INCOME – YEO’S S.LEAGUE
SAFFC (2) VS WOODLANDS WELLINGTON FC (1) – 2 OCT 08
Warriors stay in contention with win over Rams
On Thursday, 2 Oct 08, the Warriors overcame
a resilient Woodlands Wellington side 2-1 at the Warriors
Arena to move within 2 points of League leaders, Super Reds
FC.
It was a match that the Warriors had to win
and it showed in the opening minutes. It was tense and sluggish
as the Warriors struggled against the Rams who were themselves
unpredictable. Although the Warriors had the better possession,
they hardly threatened the Rams’ goal as the final pass
was often strayed or misplaced.
The Warriors had a few chances to go ahead
inside 20 minutes but the finishing was poor. The Rams relied
on a swift counter-attacking strategy but they rarely troubled
the Warriors’ back line.
It took 37 minutes for the Warriors to draw
first blood. Aleksandar Duric applied the finishing touch
in the 6-yard to notch his 25th goal of the season and ease
the pressure on the home team.
But, the jubilation was short-lived. Within
4 minutes, the Rams drew level through a penalty. Shaiful
Esah’s poor back pass forced Shahril Jantan to concede
a penalty with his misjudged tackle in the box. He was fortunate
to be given only a yellow card to the relief of his teammates.
The half-time ended 1-1 with little drama
and excitement to savour.
The Warriors came out of the 2nd half firing
on all cylinders and it paid off. In one raid down the right
flank, Mustaqim Manzur’s cross was headed in by Therdsak
Chaiman at the near post. The diminutive Thai’s diving
header was spectacular as it was clinical and that helped
to lift the spirit of the team.
With a 2-1 lead, the Warriors stepped up
a gear but found the Rams in uncompromising mood. The visitors
caused some anxiety in the Warriors’ defence with their
quick breaks but, against the run of play, the Warriors stood
their ground and denied the Rams.
It was a relief for the Warriors at the final
whistle. It was a below-par and scrappy performance but, at
the end of the day, the 3 points mattered more.
|
