Pacersi Plastering
Quah Consolation Brace
Again leaking goals while holding the majority of possession, Belgrade club Pacersi were at one instant up five to nothing before Grilled battled three goals back to avoid another disaster. Pacersi wore the same red and white stripes as previous friendly opponents Naxxar Lions, and began also with the 3-4-3. The way the game turned out, though, bore no resemblance to last Wednesday.
The weather was not to blame, with right midfielder Artur Winiecki, wearing Number 54, showed great composure to hit a long ball from deep just so. There was no margin for error between Harlow and his post, but Winiecki made it look simple.
Liehner bent a free-kick on the border of the box just outside the top corner, then 17 year-old academy product Dejan Koroman was called on to put the finishing touch on some electric passing between the Pacersi forward line. Jie Siong appeared a step slow all match long, and nearly gifted away a pass in the penalty area. Even then, Bulgarian striker Nikola Kirkov scored from the throw-in given for the hasty clearance.
Grilled actually kept most of the game going well within the Pacersi half, but Pacersi were lethal whenever they got the ball. A corner kick in the 37th minute was headed strongly by Winiecki, who timed his jump well, for Harlow to parry it while falling backwards. Egyptian midfielder Kadir Ibn-Seif half-volleyed the blocked shot in, to Grilled's consternation.
Hobson tried to breathe some life into his team by deploying one of his trademarked long range missiles at the Pacersi goal, but the Hungarian goaltender László Krakker was right onto it, palming Hobson's effort one-handed.
Grilled emerged for the second half looking reasonably confident, but it began to get embarrassing when young forward Gojko Stankovic streaked in from out wide, passed Liehner comfortably, and then passed the ball across goal for Kirkov to bag his double. Even the robust home fans toned down their celebrations a little out of politeness.
The visitors finally showed that they were not yet dead and buried, when
Quah Han Kok ran at full steam down the right side and with the aid of Siu-Yue, bluffed his way past the Pacersi backline to thump a running shot past Krakker. Hjortlind soon had his own attempt hit the bar, and though Hobson was there to mop things up, Belgian defender Claus Pennetier cleared the immediate danger with his shoulder.
Han Kok cut the lead further when he was given a ball to run on to by Hjortlind in the 67th minute, and he duly brought the ball into the six-yard box and slotted it under the goalkeeper despite being forced to one side by Pennetier. Captain
Luis Alcántara struck Grilled's third goal later on, but that was the extent of Grilled's second wind.
