Rijal saves DRM blushes once more

Note: This match report was written by T.Raitor Henry (former Arsenal player now football reporter) aka Min

DRM football has finally shaken off it's Hari Raya hangover with a good win last week against CP-7, and that momentum looked to continue this week as the team asserted itself right from the whistle with the attacking style football that the players have become accustomed to. The first half squad was a good mix of X and Y players, with a couple of new faces, and this definitely proved to be a winning combination: within 10 minutes of the kick-off, quick and neat exchanges in midfield found Fakhrul at the left corner of the penalty box and you know he had only one thing on his mind when he teed up the ball. The ball flew across the face of the goal and into the bottom corner and it was 1-0 to DRM!

The Shell-shocked Raptors changed their strategy instantly, pushing their defenders high up the pitch to play the offside trap. This only freed up space for super striker Haidi to run into, and the service was indeed first class with passes and through balls spraying in from Fadil, who was happy to pick up the ball out wide, Hailmey who was operating in unfamiliar territory on the right, and Hammry who sat in front of the back four. DRM's biggest striker had several one-on-one chances with the keeper, but he must have forgotten to worship at the temple of the Football Gods as time and again, his strikes on goal somehow skewed marginally wide. It wasn't long though, before the lead was extended to two. Haidi did well to hold up the ball and makeshift left-back for the day Rahimin, on a rare foray up the pitch, collected a quick pass from him and found an unmarked Hailmey in space right outside the 'D'. Hailmey wasted no time and let fly a cheeky chip that slipped through the goalie's hands and went in. DRM 2, Raptors 0.

At the opposite end, the DRM back-line was well marshalled by Alex and newcomer Shah, and they showed why they are able replacements for the likes of legendary MIA veterans Sufian Lampai and Adi Tabang, soaking up everything and anything thrown at them. Regular centre-back and DRM Gaffa Renny Van Pusie was nowhere to be found, and sources revealed later that he was kidnapped by Crew ‘B’ and was being held ransom at the CP-7 platform. Goalie Yusra produced one of his best performances ever between the uprights in the first half, making several good saves and one right out of the pages of Peter Schmeichel’s goalkeeping books when he slid and literally plucked the ball from the feet of a charging striker.

Finding themselves two-nil up, DRM made the mistake of taking their foot of the gas, and the young Raptors finally breached the DRM defence with a well taken goal. A through pass caught all four defenders flat-footed at the halfway line, and a midfielder duly collected the ball and calmly put it in the top corner beyond the reach of a full-stretched Yusra.That proved to only be a minor set-back however, as soon after the restart Azelin won a free-kick at the same spot where Fakhrul scored from earlier. The Raptors must have felt a sense of deja vu when Fakhrul stood across the ball and let loose another screamer right into the bottom right hand-corner, regaining the two-goal advantage for DRM as quickly as they had lost it.

In typical DRM fashion, the second half saw a wholesale change to accommodate DRM's ever-growing squad, with Saiful Bulan and Nazrul slotting into defence, Jame in midfield, and Rijal up front. It was an entirely a different affair though, as the opposition was intent on getting something from the match, and made wave after wave of attempts on the DRM goal.

Lady Luck finally deserted DRM for the Raptors when their last man charged his way up the field and, with lots of time and space, let fly an effort from all of 30 yards that Yusra could only push under the cross bar and into the back of the net. Sensing a comeback, they picked up the pace, and only last ditch tackles by Saiful Bulan, Azelin and Shah managed to keep the scoreline 3-2 to DRM. Fakhrul nearly got his hat-trick when his effort from another spot kick was turned outside the post as it rapidly homed in on the bottom corner.

The heavy, waterlogged pitch didn't make things easier for DRM, and with everyone's stamina quickly waning, the floodgates finally opened and DRM subsequently conceded a 3rd and 4th goal in quick succession. It wasn't all one-way traffic though, as DRM founding father Aizul (coincidentally a new father as well!) worked hard and combined well with Rijal to keep the Raptors 'keeper busy in search of that ever elusive first goal of 2007. DRM Kapitan Amir S and Indonesian import Ari came in late in the game to inject some well-needed attacking venom and creativity, but the stubborn Raptor defence gave new meaning to the phrase 'desperate defending' to keep their hard-earned, come-from-behind lead. Amir S had a couple of shots on goal, but he must have left his shooting boots at home as he too failed to convert his chances and add to his goals tally, unlike the little birdie who scored on his knee from ten yards up!

With the sun setting, Rijal threw DRM a lifeline as he racked up his second goal in as many games when he scored an empathic equalizer in the dying minutes, chesting down a pass from Ady and calmly slotting the ball home to start DRM on a new run of unbeaten games.