Late penalty goal gives Bowen Bullets win but not place in last eight

25th April 2016

Substitutes for the Bowen Bullets

In a tense and entertaining National 2nd Round Group B match yesterday afternoon at Lor Napiri, Bowen Secondary claimed a needed victory over Siglap Secondary School but were knocked out of the tournament on goal difference.

Bullets Aizal keeping possession of the ball

Bullets winning possession in midfield

Goalkeepers from both sides capped excellent performances for their schools with some fine saves throughout the match until late into the 2nd half. Bowen's 1-0 win came courtesy of a late penalty won in the 75th minute by Bullets striker Muhd Zamani after he was hacked down by a Siglap defender while finding space for a shot in the penalty box. Fellow striker Aizal Murhamdani stepped up to calmly slot the ball below the body of the Siglap goalkeeper and send the Bowen supporters into a frenzy.

Bullets striker Muhd Zamani

Bullets midfielder Josiah Phua

NZ Inter-Sch B Div Boys 2nd Round Group B : Final Standings
	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	PTS
Siglap Sec	3	2	0	1	9	3	6	6
SJI	3	2	0	1	8	5	3	6
Bowen Sec	3	2	0	1	6	5	1	6
Chua Chu Kang Sec	3	0	0	3	2	12	-10	0

Bullets substitute Muhd Rasydan tussling for the ball

However, as news about SJI's 3-0 win over Chua Chu Kang Secondary trickled in, the smiles of the Bowen Bullets gradually turned into frowns after the match. Both victories by Bowen and SJI meant that all 3 teams, Siglap Sec, SJI and Bowen Sec were level on 6 points and the top 2  was decided by goal difference. Bowen Sec, having the most inferior goal difference of the three, had to miss out on the quarter-final stage.

Bullets left back Mohd Shakir (right), getting ready to restart the match

Bowen Starting Line-Up	Jersey No.
ONG JIAN HAO DESMOND	1
MOHD SHAKIR B SIRAJUDEN	2
HARITH ANIQ B AZMAN	3
BENNY TAN TENG SOON	4
MUHD TAHALIF B ABDULLAL J	5
AIZAL MURHAMDANI B AHMAD   goal 75’ (pen)	9
R SHARVEEN RAM	11
JOSIAH PHUA YONG QI	6
MUHD ZAMANI B MD ZAMRI	8
DAVID SANJAY SINGH SAMBHI	18
MUHAMMAD HISAM B ROZIMAN	12
Substitutes	Jersey No.
KEITH  WONG JIA FENG	20
MUHAMMAD IRFAN B MAZLAN	10
TANG GUAN YU	19
RILEY MARC GOMES	22
ITHAR NUR IRFAN B ABDUL WAHAB	17
MARCUS WONG JIAN YUAN	14
MUHAMMAD RASYDAN B ARIFFIN	7
BRENDAN TAN LEON KEAT	15
ITHAR NUR IQMAL B ABDUL WAHAB	13

Bullets' dominance over Chua Chu Kang pays off late

20th April

Playing their second match in three days, the B Div Boys from Bowen Secondary School recorded their first win in the National Inter-Schools Group B match against Chua Chu Kang Secondary on home ground. The victory somehow made up for an insipid defensive display in Monday's defeat to SJI.

Bullets Starting Line-up

The Bullets dominated their opponents as usual, passing their way into a compact area manned by up to 9 defenders while CCK were content to wait and punt the hopeful ball for their lone striker to chase.

Bullets midfielder Josiah taking control of the proceedings

But again, it was the Bullets' opponent who drew first blood, conceding again from a dead ball situation in the 12th minute. CCK's corner was nodded into Bowen's goalmouth again due to some slack marking.

Bullets centre-back prepares to launch an attack as goalkeeper Desmond Ong looks on

The Bullets had to wait till the last minute of the 1st half to draw level. Bullets forward Aizal received the ball just outside the penalty box on the left, turned and sliced the ball with his right foot across the diving CCK goalkeeper into an empty net.

Chua Chu Kang attacker winning an aerial duel

In the second half, the Bullets were eager to captialise on the momentum gained by the equaliser and take the lead  This they did in the 71st minute when Bullets midfielder Josiah slalomed his way into the CCK penalty box and released the ball to a somewhat offside Aizal to poke the ball into goal. Match referee allowed the goal the home fans cheered vociferously.

Bullets substitute Muhd Rasydan rising high to head the ball

As CCK began to tire, the Bullets went further ahead in the last minute of the match. Defensive midfielder R. Sharveen made an enterprising run on the left, left two defenders for dead and crossed the ball for Bullets winger Muhd Hisam to control the ball and tap it into goal for a satisfying 3-1 scoreline.

Bullets preparing to defend a free kick

Bowen Starting Line-Up	Jersey No.
ONG JIAN HAO DESMOND	1
MOHD SHAKIR B SIRAJUDEN	2
HARITH ANIQ B AZMAN	3
BENNY TAN TENG SOON	4
MUHD TAHALIF B ABDULLAL J	5
AIZAL MURHAMDANI B AHMAD   goal 40’, 71’	9
R SHARVEEN RAM	11
JOSIAH PHUA YONG QI	6
MUHD ZAMANI B MD ZAMRI	8
ITHAR NUR IRFAN B ABDUL WAHAB   off 37’	17
MUHAMMAD HISAM B ROZIMAN  goal 80’ + 2’	12
Substitutes	Jersey No.
KEITH  WONG JIA FENG	20
MUHAMMAD IRFAN B MAZLAN	10
TANG GUAN YU	19
RILEY MARC GOMES	22
MARCUS WONG JIAN YUAN	14
MUHAMMAD RASYDAN B ARIFFIN     in 37’	7
BRENDAN TAN LEON KEAT	15
DAVID SANJAY SINGH SAMBHI	18
ITHAR NUR IQMAL B ABDUL WAHAB	13

SJI exposes Bullets' defensive frailties

18th April 2016

In a Group B match of the National B Boys Football Competition this afternoon, the Bowen Bullets fell to a 4-2 home defeat at the hands of SJI.

Bullets starting line-up

Although the Bullets had the lion's share of possession, they were unable to penetrate their opponents' stubborn defence and were let down by poor defensive errors to gift SJI a precious three points.

SJI about to score their first goal from a free kick

SJI opened accounts in the 8th minute with a free kick from the left that found the head of an unmarked SJI player who glanced the ball through the hands of Bowen keeper Desmond Ong.

Bullets Josiah Phua getting the ball under control

But three minutes later, the Bullets replied in equal measure. Centre-back Harith Aniq's thunderous free kick from just inside the centre line swerved every which way to deceive the SJI keeper.

Bullets Muhd Irfan receiving some harsh treatment from his marker

In the second half, Bowen were the early aggressor, limiting SJI lone striker to scraps. In the 6th minute, Bullets midfielder Josiah floated a free kick from the left to the near post as fellow midfielder Muhd Irfan got in front of his marker to glance the ball over the goalkeeper's raised arms into goal.

Bullets Muhd Irfan battling for possession

Bowen did not cherish the narrow lead as the next 6 minutes saw the defence lose its focus and conceded two cheap goals. A harmless SJI through ball found an SJI attacker who turned and chipped the ball over goalkeeper Desmond Ong into goal before Bullets captain Benny Tan could close him down.

Bullets leftback Muhd Shakir restarting play with a throw-in

SJI's third goal was an individual effort by SJI lone striker No. 9, who danced his way past 3 defenders on the left to slot the ball into an empty net.

SJI striker on his way to beating 3 defenders and scoring SJI's third goal

8 minutes from time, the Bowen defence crumbled again, allowing an SJI attacker space to lob the ball over Desmond again for a 4-2 final score.

Bowen Starting Line-Up	Jersey No.
ONG JIAN HAO DESMOND	1
MOHD SHAKIR B SIRAJUDEN	2
HARITH ANIQ B AZMAN    goal 11’’	3
BENNY TAN TENG SOON	4
RILEY MARC GOMES   off 60’	22
AIZAL MURHAMDANI B AHMAD   yellow 55’	9
R SHARVEEN RAM	11
JOSIAH PHUA YONG QI	6
MUHD ZAMANI B MD ZAMRI	8
MUHAMMAD IRFAN B MAZLAN     goal 46’   off 53’	10
MUHAMMAD HISAM B ROZIMAN	12
Substitutes	Jersey No.
KEITH  WONG JIA FENG	20
MUHD TAHALIF B ABDULLAL J	5
TANG GUAN YU	19
ITHAR NUR IRFAN B ABDUL WAHAB	17
MARCUS WONG JIAN YUAN	14
MUHAMMAD RASYDAN B ARIFFIN	7
BRENDAN TAN LEON KEAT   in 53’	15
DAVID SANJAY SINGH SAMBHI	18
ITHAR NUR IQMAL B ABDUL WAHAB   off 60’	13

Bowen Bullets feel Final heartache for 2nd year running

13th April 2016

The B Div Boys from Bowen Secondary School failed to capture the school's first ever NZ Boys football title this afternoon after they were defeated 1-4 by the Singapore Sports School (SSP) at SAFRA Tampines pitch.

Bowen Bullets Starting Line-up

The Bullets were outclassed but not outrun by a superior Sports School team. Both teams were wary of each other's strengths. While SSP changed their personnel in an attempt to nullify Bowen's strength in attack, Bowen adjusted their team formation and tactics to deal with the short passing game of SSP.

SSP bossing the midfield area

Although SSP had the bulk of ball possession, not much was made out of it. The ball was sprayed cautiously from side to side, much like 10 'John Obi Mikels' playing on the field. The Bullets were contend to keep their shape and wait to pounce on their opponents' mistakes by springing counter-attacks through the 'JAZ' triangle of Zamani, Aizal and Josiah.

Bullets Mohd Shakir heading an SSP corner kick out of danger

However, before the tactic was able to bear fruit, a defensive lapse in the 10th minute allowed SSP right winger to receive the ball unattended. His crisp shot flashed across Bowen keeper Desmond Ong and nestled comfortably inside the far post for SSP's first goal.

The Bullets keeping their shape under SSP attack

In the 31st minute, a debatable handball decision was handed out cruelly to Bowen skipper Benny Tan after he was adjudged to have blocked a snap shot from SSP with his arms in the penalty box. SSP made no mistake with the spot kick, although goalkeeper Desmond guessed the right way.

Half-time team talk by Bullets Head Coach Mr Lim Queen Cher

After the interval, the Bullets had to come out of their shell to get back into the game. They began to play the game they were so accustomed to during the previous rounds of the competition. Hard man Josiah Phua was switched back to central midfield to add more bite. In the 52nd minute, he pickpocketed the ball from an SSP player in the centre circle and combined well with Aizal to go free on the right. Just when the ball was thought to have been pushed away from a shooting angle, Josiah's last-ditch shot from just inside the bye line went through the SSP goalkeeper's grasp into goal.

Bullets defender H.Aniq walking away with his medal

It was 'game on' thereafter as the Bullets built on the momentum and began to win their tackles and won the 50-50 balls in midfield.

Then tragedy stuck in the 73rd minute when SSP won a free kick outside the penalty box. The Bullets' wall let the resulting shot sneak through it and Desmond had little chance of preventing a dreaded 3rd goal for SSP.

The Bowen Bullets B Div Boys with their Runners-Up medals

The Bullets were now deflated as a few of them began to experience cramps. One minute later, SSP left winger danced his way past a tired Benny to slot the ball home for SSP's 4th goal and end the Bullets's gallant fight for a first ever championship medal.

Bullets Skipper Benny Tan receiving the Runners-Up trophy

Bowen Starting Line-Up	Jersey No.
ONG JIAN HAO DESMOND	1
MOHD SHAKIR B SIRAJUDEN   off 74’	2
HARITH ANIQ B AZMAN	3
BENNY TAN TENG SOON	4
ITHAR NUR IQMAL B ABDUL WAHAB   off 51’	13
AIZAL MURHAMDANI B AHMAD	9
R SHARVEEN RAM	11
JOSIAH PHUA YONG QI   goal 52’	6
MUHD ZAMANI B MD ZAMRI	8
MUHAMMAD RASYDAN B ARIFFIN    off 40’	7
MUHAMMAD HISAM B ROZIMAN     off 78’	12
Substitutes	Jersey No.
KEITH  WONG JIA FENG	20
MUHD TAHALIF B ABDULLAL J	5
TANG GUAN YU  in 78’	19
ONG JUN YONG TERENCE	16
ITHAR NUR IRFAN B ABDUL WAHAB	17
MARCUS WONG JIAN YUAN   in 74’	14
MUHAMMAD IRFAN B MAZLAN    in 51’	10
BRENDAN TAN LEON KEAT   in 40’	15
DAVID SANJAY SINGH SAMBHI	18