Seven In Jurong
Derby Dance
The tradition of one of Jurong's - and II.2's - signature derbies would live on, in this 35th clash between newbies are newbies and Grilled Birds. As it was, the hosts' 5-2 victory on their home ground would prove a fluke, as the Birds repeated the outcome that had happened the seven times before that, all thanks to
Brian Reddy's individualism after 69 minutes.
Former national star Li Choon An would be back after playing a huge role in the latest fixture, as newbies added Au Kong Su up top in a shift to a 2-5-3 formation. Central defender Volkert Eutiner would be the one to make way, as Kwok Wan Yau had Kevin Gibson and Elijah Gardner share responsibilities. As for the Birds,
Chad Thach would line up in attack buoyed by his Lions callup, with
Mohd Marzuki Khairul falling back to midfield beside
Aw Keng Chuan. That left
Raúl Himadas to make his much-awaited league debut, with
Damian Hutter having to warm the bench.
Odds were pretty even on this game, but the absence of Portuguese goalkeeper Estêvão Ferreira would have them shift towards Grilled after the teams were announced. Stand-in Volkert Eutiner definitely could have done better with
Paulino Trindade's effort in the tenth minute, after the newbies defence dithered on who should pick the winger up on his incursion. The grounder wasn't particularly strong, but Eutiner could not react to it in time.
newbies would dominate the next twenty minutes in response, as Li patrolled midfield with renewed purpose. They found the most profit with pulls inside from wide too, as left winger Lai Ping Keong exploited the space that Marzuki had left behind, to equalize in the 16th minute. Veteran Ang Keng Jia would make several eye-catching pushes from the other side following this, one of which finally came off in the 31st through Au Kong Su.
Aw Keng Chuan silenced the stands with rapidity, though, as he raked a big right footer home from outside the box.
Half-time came and went with the supporters on both sides barely able to contain themselves, as the game hung very much in the balance. There remained a sense that the next goal would be vital, what with the teams hardly being able to make an impression on each other towards the end of the first half, and there would be a loud roar as Chen Meng Heng came up with a magical volley six minutes in, that had
Dimitris Germanakos dive for it but never getting close.
That supposition would prove unfounded, however, as
Lim An Keng answered within four minutes.
Chia Kwang Tse pulled to the outside of Gibson as Trindade cut in, leaving Lim to chip it over Eutiner from Chia's timely assist. With it all level again, caution returned with a vengeance, and newbies could not find a way back after
Brian Reddy banged a fourth goal in from an extended 69th minute attack.