The Eagles Have Landed
Thousand Mark
Grilled entertained in their expected 8-0 demolition of the in-administration SAS Eagles, but it was tinged with some regret as it meant that another good club will soon be lost to the league. The outcome was set even as the Birds gave several of their squad players a chance, despite a good dose of overconfidence on the part of some of them.
A starting eleven made up largely of Eagles fans was simply no match for Grilled's professionals, and Branbilla took just two minutes to rub the difference in as he swept the ball in without too much trouble, with two defenders in the path of the admittedly nice cross failing to get to it.
Mohd Safri was glad to get back in the scoring business after two fruitless outings, with Rotteveel gamely passing to the young gun despite being in the running for the league Golden Boot. That was Safri's tenth of the season, a respectable count which he could have added onto in a speedy rush the very next minute, had he not pulled his shot crazily wide.
Edvaldo Mourão, form repaired, meshed well with his new teammates and was duly feted for his virgin goal in the 15th minute, and Branbilla then collected what was surprisingly his first league brace for Grilled since joining eight seasons ago.
There was then an amusing moment in the 30th minute as Bögengang and Rotteveel were withdrawn in favour of local youngsters Safrinho and
Tian Yonghang. Rotteveel, captain for the day, passed the armband to Tian and vaugely signalled for him to pass it to
Ronny Behr, but the excited youngster had already tightened it around his sleeve. None of his teammates had the heart to inform him of his error, and what must surely have been Grilled's youngest ever skipper spent the fifteen remaining minutes of the first half buzzing about like a man possessed.
Somebody apparently had a word in his ear during half-time, and he came out with a beet-red face, but still with the armband, and an entourage of faintly-smiling seniors. He was rather more subdued after that, but it might have as much to do with his clearly inadequate stamina than any lasting embarassment.
Tian's best chance came and went after he failed to trap a rebound from a mightly strike by
Björn Olsson, as the transfer-listed Talib sat this one out.
Edvaldo Mourão then had his second as he cut a path through the Eagles' defence, before making way for
Quah Han Kok in the 60th minute.
Mourão would not be the only one to open his accounts, as
Ronny Behr then got not one but two goals of his own, both through assertive headers. Safrinho then took it to eight-nil with a third header in the 84th minute - which so happened to be Grilled's thousandth league goal - with Penati notching up a hat-trick of assists.
