Another Season In The Sun
Farmer Bunnies defended their S-League spot before a full house at Carrot Field, which had tickets sold out mere hours after being made available. Their supporters had plenty to sing about too, as the Buns mastered II.2 champions Kim Tae Hee FC with an almost disconcerting ease, with Yemeni former international forward
Mushtag Al-Nameeri taking them for a hat-trick, in a 5-0 whitewash.
The three-time Singapore Cup winners had staked their bid on a counterattacking setup too, but this left their top scorer Ignacy Karnat up alone three Bunnies centrebacks, of which
Brendan Leung dutifully followed him everywhere he went; KTH FC did get it to the Pole in the 20th minute, as Álvaro Velasco Miranda swept down the left, in what might be his last outing for the club. Leung closed in strongly, however, which left Karnat with no angle on his strike.
The Buns took over after Eliano Mantovani's booking for a pre-emptive wrestle on
Mushtag Al-Nameeri, and although
Vishnu Tallapaka's powerful free-kick would be absorbed by ex-Maltese U-20 goalkeeper Martin Barbara, Mushtag would be there to mop up, as Kok Lee Kwang arrived a moment too late.
It would essentially be the Mushtag & Vishnu show after this, and the duo would pick up an additional goal apiece before half-time, with Mushtag outrunning all comers in the 31st, and Vishnu getting his second free-kick on point in the 39th.
Nurlan Ablaev wouldn't have his best day in contrast, as he had his only finish easily saved, before having to go off with a knee concern just over the hour mark.
Saudi striker
Ibrahim Zahran Al-Maashany could hardly be considered a downgrade, though, and the rout continued with
Mushtag Al-Nameeri completing his hat-trick with a deflection off a stooping header; this should go some way towards dispelling critics of his relatively disappointing second half of the last campaign. There was then a doubtful penalty awarded for what looked like unavoidable ball-to-hand, but the home fans had no qualms whatsoever as Tallapaka stepped up to ping it home.
There was little more of note other than another minor injury to Gerald Gajic, and 33 year-old Bunnies captain
Tham Leng Teck was simply over the moon, at having secured another shot in the big time. "None of us are getting any younger here, and if you don't buy a ticket, you can't win. Well, we've booked our ticket, and from that great early start last season, we can rack up those points too!"
