Despite our recent run of good form, this was the one game i felt we'd struggle with as the F19 Hustlerz are the equivalent of a superclub within our small footballing circle. They have strength in depth with a young team made up of pedigree players who have played for the district's best teams. Looking at it from that point of view, that would probably make us a team of bandit footballers in comparison.
Things didn't look very good at the start either as we barely managed to string a team of 11 players, even having to draft our injured captain in goal as none of our established keepers turned up.
The first half was abit of a cat and mouse game really. We kicked off the half and immediately were put on the back foot as the F19 forwards raced up the pitch and really didn't give us any breathing space at the back. To our credit we managed to string a number of good passes around but were occasionally let down but that stray and far too often we caught static whilst in possession. The Hustlerz on the other hand were smooth operators on the ball, feeding their fleet footed strikers with plenty of through passes for them to run on to.
So it was the Hustlerz who broke the first duck, and it happened not more than 10 minutes into the game. A through ball from midfield broke our DRM offside line high up the pitch and it left them with just Azelin in goal to deal with.
I'd like to think that we're not a team that throws in the towel that easily and so we fought back, and it was from a counter on the left led by a mazy Amir S run that put Haidi through on goal and his low shot beat the keeper across his body and tucked nicely in the bottom right corner. Haidi is a man on a mission these days and he was determined to prove that his January performance was no fluke.
It was a cat and mouse game as i said earlier, because not too long after that F19 went back up 2 - 1. Again we were caught high up on the pitch and there was too much pace there for any of us to deal with. Azelin was easily beaten the second time, and we were left thinking if this were going to be how the rest of the night would be.
Fadil on the other hand had other plans. Having scored 5 in the last 3 games, he wasn't going to let Haidi take the brunt of the goal scoring for the team. Some fancy work in midfield and Hammry and Khai TSW really worked hard in the 1st half to set up some nice runs, feeding Fadil and Haidi upfront.
And it was from one of those midfield run of play that Amir S coming in fast from the centre, put through Fadil and he toe poked it into the back of the net to level things for DRM.
At the back, the defense were not letting anything get by, let off for the second time, they were determined not to concede any further and some take no prisoners tackling really proved their intent.
Khai TSW again was instrumental in setting up the third goal. Again it was from a counter attack, and Amir S was put through on the left. He fed Fadil with one of those balls that just seem to slip in between players. Fadil calmly slotted that the same way his first went in and we were up for once in the game.
So we went into the half time break with spirits high from that comeback from what seemed like a dead end and it didn't seem all lost after all.
We encountered some manning problems at the start of the second. Danan had to come off injured, whilst Javier had to scoot off for a worthwhile cause (you better give me good news man!) .
That meant having to resort to the cheeky option of asking the F19 guys for a spare player. And obligingly they lent us Saharin who is a regular DRM Fun Game player much to our relief.
Fadil made the switch to centre back in the second half, determined to keep the score at 3 - 2. And we adopted a somewhat siege mentality defending at all costs our slender fragile lead going into the half.
The move paid off really as he was commanding at the back in our attempts to halt the F19 onslaught. Whilst they were really looking to lick their wounds after throwing away two first half leads.
And they must have had at least 15 corners to prove the point. Whilst we dealt with them pretty well in the most part, there were some scares. Saiful who did not put a foot wrong at all in the game, clearing from off the line was one such incident.
Then a moment of madness, F19 with the ball on the flanks out wide right, and their winger whipped one in with Renny left stranded with two strikers behind him. He inexplicably stuck his hand out in the box and it was clear what the referee had to do.
Much to his relief however, Azelin was up to the challenge, and he coolly palmed the penalty kick away with a dive to his left. And so our skins were saved yet again!
There were several other chances for the Hustlerz to come back in the game, but it was clear it wasn't to be as lady lucked shined on us. The crossbar and in a another instance Azelin's outstretched palms denying them that opportunity.
Khai and Saharin in the meanwhile were playing some fantastic football upfront when F19 weren't on the ball. With Amir S pulling the strings in the middle, the three combined well to set us up in some good opportunities but the lack of finishing again let us down when it mattered.
The Hustlerz continued to throw men forward and it really helped opened the game ahead of us, as each time we broke another one of their forays upfront, it gave us space to counter from the flanks.
And so it was, that from a counter attack, the ball going from Hammry and then in circles between Khai and Saharin on the left, his tidy pasing set up Amir S on the right, who floated one in to the box and it was the head of Haidi met the ball with force. The unthinkable happened and we were 4 - 2 up!
The whistle for full time went shortly after and timely was it too as our tired legs had really taken a beating. I won't expect that much charity in our next head-to-head with the Hustlerz, the next time being our DRM league game with more than just pride at stake.
