Going To Town
Chia Sweeps
This would be Grilled Birds' second match against Queenstown MZKs in a fortnight, and as before, they would prevail - and moreover without conceding. This was moreover not so much a repeat, with a number of second-stringers fielded for this Sapphire Challenger Cup fixture, and in this Grilled probably had the advantage.
For one, it was a tall order for youngsters such as Tham Wan Liang and Aw Jia Shi to contend with Lim, Aw and Chitre, even if they were on form - which Tham assuredly wasn't. That apart, the continued rain would again drench the pitch, although there wouldn't be an immediate adaptation today, as happened with the Jokers. A spirited Queenstown attack got through in the mudbath after fourteen minutes, and Satya Khade's guess as to how the ball would react would prove better than
Damian Hutter's, but Khade rang it off the crossbar for all that.
Queenstown would have no better chance for the rest of the day, as the Birds machine cranked up. London Ng made a couple of good saves off
Chia Kwang Tse and
Gandhik Chitre next, with Chia then booked for arguing with English referee Dave Gaskell-Bhuller in the 31st minute, only to find the opener in the very next move with
Federico Parada advancing stylishly. Chia would sneak in a wink at the match official in his celebrations, which the latter thankfully took in stride.
That first goal would calm plenty of nerves amongst the guys in green, who really began dominating towards the end of the half.
Brian Reddy would start to shake off Hernán Fernández del Cerro down the right, and after an ambitious lob from way outside in the 38th that swirled slightly off course, Reddy would keep it low for his goal in the 42nd.
Aw Keng Chuan might have snuck in a third as the Birds pressed relentless down the right, but Goh Jie Yong was quick enough to rescue that.
There would be no question that the Birds were taking this, as they struck twice more in the first five minutes of the second half.
Gandhik Chitre would take over
Mohd Marzuki Khairul at centre forward, as Grilled contined to spread play wide, where they had enjoyed their greatest successes. Reddy would swap with
Federico Parada for the next goal, with Parada then supplying
Hwang Teck Fu.
There would not be much to write home about after Ng saved from Hutter's volley soon afterwards, as the conditions only worsened. Queenstown MZKs might have been hoping for the officials to declare the match rained out, but Gaskell-Bhuller was one to finish what he had started. Still,
Teo Chuan Yong didn't dare to waste too much time in getting on, when called on to replace
Aw Keng Chuan with a minute remaining.