Dynamites' Wet Fuse
Hobson Fiver
First friendly of the season was in the parched Ar Riyad, capital of Saudi Arabia, though mercifully the temperature was comparable to Singaporean standards by kick-off. Grilled's opponents, Dynamite 2005, sent out a rather mediocre second team to face the visitors, but since it was an exhibition game all was in good cheer.
Unshackled from competitive responsibilites, Grilled could let the youngsters frolic by themselves. The youngest three professional midfielders in the squad, Jie Siong, Borup and Han Kok in that order, stamped their order on a largely indigenous Dynamite eleven. Only Finnish coach Pekka Haltsonen, who had gamely planted himself in central midfield, Danish striker Jørgen Voss and Israeli goalie Oshri Danenberg were non citizens.
Be as it may, Hjortlind set the scoreboard blinking by the fourth minute as he volleyed a square pass into goal. The Swede forward was obviously not satisfied with terrorizing the reserve league. Musa Kalil Haj-Amin played to the crowd and was clearly a fan favourite, but in no circumstances would tugging clothes be allowed and he was booked in the 13th minute.
Tim Hobson then notched another hat-trick by the 33rd minute, first from the right, then the middle and the third with a fine bit of running off the ball. Han Kok's speculative punt would have been missed nine times out of ten, but Hobson was never one to dither and put head to ball magnificently. The polite applause from the stands appeared a little forced, as the home fans waited for their heroes to respond.
Unfortunately the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak, and they went yet another goal behind with
Lorenz Paullin speeding by Yousif Abu-Alam. Team captain Danenberg, who had saved twice as many as he had let in, came agonizingly close but couldn't get his hand totally behind Hjortlind's finisher and it deflected into the top corner.
The second half opened with an immediate fourth by Hobson, who pushed Qasim Alam Abu-Yaseen off the ball in a muscular challenge. Han Kok caused plenty of trouble with his unique mix of dribbling and short passing, and paved the way for a fifth by the Englishman, buried just to the right of the keeper.
By this time the strikers were actively handing opportunities over to the other players, but Han Kok wasted perhaps the clearest sitter of the day when he sidefooted Rottman's cross wide from just ten metres. Borup was far steadier in front of goal, teasing Danenberg off balance before delivering the coup de grace.
