Balestier Blasted
Kadak To The Fore
The Birds continued the customary waltz through the early Cup rounds with a straightforward steamrolling of ten-man semipro side Balestier United.
Jaan Kadak improved on his performance last week with four goals this time, and young hopeful
Qiu Swee Pheng displayed an instinct for shooting that has seen him rack up four in a very short stint.
The overcast sky was a godsend for Grilled's well-taxed players, many of whom expect to ply a two match per week schedule for most of the season. Kadak certainly did not complain about doing double duty, as he took the opportunity to pad his conversion record against a charitable backline.
It took just six minutes for Kadak to keep his streak going, as he forced his way past 42 year-old chicken-rice seller Ding Yan-Bin and bounced a sure winner off the uneven turf. Balestier bustled and formed a protective ring around their penalty area, but it all came to naught as
Terkel Borup ghosted in on the right flank to slam a second past the hapless Huie Van-Thai.
There was an ugly incident in the 23rd minute, as gangly central defender Wu Le-Xuan lost
Lan Tuan-Mu and responded with an unforgivable boot into Lan's left knee. Lan buckled and rolled in unmistakable pain, and the referee already had his red card in the air as he ran towards the scene of the crime.
Nor Suhaimi bin Che Lah would replace Lan as he was stretchered off, and Grilled thumped in three more goals before the half ended by way of tribute.
Qiu Swee Pheng and
Ulf Hjortlind capitalized on elementary mistakes down the middle, and Kadak doubled his own tally as leftback Zou Kah-Kheng passed to no-one in particular.
Kadak achieved his hat-trick, this time beating Zou fair and square on the run, and while the luckless insurance salesman made a manful go at keeping pace, Kadak's hunger was simply too great for him to let up. Huie, left wide open, belatedly stepped forward even as the ball met the back of his net.
The action died down somewhat until the final ten minutes - Borup switched to high gear and steamed right towards the Balestier goal, only for the overworked Yan-Bin to get in the way. Borup flew, and gestured angrily for a penalty while sprawled on the ground. The referee, less than impressed, carded him instead.
That however inspired Grilled to produce a three-goal burst, beginning with Bukhari recording his first goal of the season, a tap-in as Balestier's defenders all missed a tame cross. Kadak then leapt tallest to nod home a free ball, and Swee Pheng secured his own brace with a delightful angled drive from deep.
