Heavy defeat to Sports School eliminates Bullets from SPL1

6th March

Another defeat to 2016 North Zone Champions, the Singapore Sports School in the School Premier League Round of 16 leaves the Bowen Bullets with the prospect of ending the season without any silverware. SSP were superior in all departments as they thrashed Bowen Sec 5-0 to book a place in the quater-finals.

Bullets Aizal M. pulling the strings in midfield

The Bullets went into the game with a soak and counter strategy which was working well until the 30th minute. The Bowen backline was unable to contain SSP striker from turning in the penalty box and blasting the ball into the back of the net.

Bullets defend a corner with Mohd Shakir and skipper Muhd Tahalif standing guard

The goal deflated the Bullets and they were looking forward to the end of the first half to re-group. But SSP gave their opponents more to think about, scoring a few seconds before the whistle. An SSP cross from the left escaped everyone and found its way to the right side of the penalty box where SSP right winger was left unattended to tap in the second goal.

Bullets central midfielder Sharveen looking to intercept a pass

The same story evolved in the 2nd half. The Bullets tried to be more adventurous but were limited to the one-off high ball to their striker Muhd Zamani who was well-marshalled by the SSP centre backs. In the 61st minute, SSP broke the Bullets' defence again. This time, a cross from the right was tapped in from close range after Bullets keeper Desmond Ong had committed himself to block the initial cross.

Bullets righer winger Muhd Fareez failing to get the better of his marker as the ball is cleared

There was no coming back from 3 goals down and the Bullets went on to concede in the 63rd minute (stiff grounder from the left) and 74th minute (chipped shot over Desmond).

Muhd Tahalif (No.6) and Muhd Zamani getting ready to execute a set-piece

Bowen Starting Line-Up	Jersey No.
ONG JIAN HAO, DESMOND	1
NOOR RIFAT   out 40’	18
SHAH SHARIZAN B JUMASLAN  out 48’	2
MUHAMMAD TAHALIF B ABDULLAL J	6
HARITH ANIQ B AZMAN	17
MOHAMED SHAKIR B SIRAJUDEEN	7
R SHARVEEN RAM	10
MUHAMMAD RASYDAN B ARIFFIN	4
MUHAMMAD FAREEZ B JAMALUDDIN  out 40’	13
MUHAMMAD ZAMANI B MD ZAMRI	8
AIZAL MURHAMDANI B AHMAD	9
Substitutes
RAEIS B MOHAMAD NOOR AZRIN	3
TANG GUAN YU  in 40’	5
MATIN UZAIR B MOHAMAD NAZRIN  in 40’	12
MUHAMMAD ZULHILMI B RAMLEE	19
KEITH WONG JIA FENG	20
MARK KOH HORNG AN	21
MUHAMAD HAMIZAN B KARYAT	22
MUHAMMAD YUSRI B SELAMAT  in 48’	14
ELHAN AKMAL B SAHRIL	11

Bullets Mohd Shakir taking time to tie his laces

SPL ROUND OF 16 GROUP STANDINGS

	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
S’pore Sports School	2	2	0	0	10	0	10	6
Bendemeer	1	1	0	0	4	1	3	3
Bowen	2	0	0	2	1	9	-8	0
Kranji	1	0	0	1	0	5	-5	0

Bullets right-back Rifat taking a breather

Bullets goalkeeper Desmond Ong sending a goal kick into opponents' half

Senior Bullets sing the blues again in defeat to Bendemeer

6th March 2017

It was not a good start to the School Premier League Round of 16 for the Senior Bullets as they fell 4-1 to South Zone kingpins Bendemeer Secondary School at the Arena Woodleigh Park this afternoon.

Bullets starting line-up

The Bullets were not ready for the Bendemeer's high intensity attack from the starting whistle and paid for it by conceding a needless goal in the very 1st minute. Bowen's defence was in sixes and sevens as a high ball into the defensive third was allowed to bounce. Bendemeer striker pounced on the loose ball and steered the ball pass Bullets Desmond Ong between the sticks for an early lead.

10 minutes later, Bendemeer scored again with a stiff shot from the centre just outside the penalty box. This time, it was a case of a lack of responsibility in pressing the shooter.

It was still a salvageable game at the start of the 2nd half as the Bullets began to get used to the intensity of the game. They were able to string some decent passes in several impressive moves but the finishing lack the sting required to trouble Bendemeer.

Just when a goal looked likely for the Bullets, their opponents went further ahead in the 62nd minute. The Bendemeer striker romped into the penalty box on the right and though faced with too acute an angle, he steered the ball across goalkeeper Desmond Ong and into the far corner for a comfortable 3-0 lead.

To their credit, the Bullets did not let their shoulders drop. In the 72nd minute. Left winger Muhd Zamani showed strength and speed to get in behind the Bendemeer backline. As he was forced to turn to the right to find space for a shot in the penalty box, he was adjudged by the referee to have been pulled down by the covering defender. From the resulting penalty, Zamani slot home after his initial spot kick was palmed out onto his path.

But any sniff of a revival was quickly waved away 2 minutes later by some horrendous play by the Bullets in their own penalty box. In an attempt to play the ball up, the whole back line and goalkeeper gave the ball away under pressure from Bendemeer attackers. It was a parting gift from the Bullets as Bendemeer obliged by tapping the ball between Bullets keeper Desmond and  skipper Muhd Tahalif into an empty net.

Bowen Starting Line-Up	Jersey No.
ONG JIAN HAO, DESMOND	1
NOOR RIFAT	18
SHAH SHARIZAN B JUMASLAN out 50’	2
MUHAMMAD TAHALIF B ABDULLAL J	6
HARITH ANIQ B AZMAN	17
MOHAMED SHAKIR B SIRAJUDEEN	7
R SHARVEEN RAM	10
MUHAMMAD FAREEZ B JAMALUDDIN	13
MUHAMMAD ZAMANI B MD ZAMRI goal 72’	8
AIZAL MURHAMDANI B AHMAD	9
MATIN UZAIR B MOHAMAD NAZRIN	12
Substitutes
RAEIS B MOHAMAD NOOR AZRIN	3
TANG GUAN YU	5
MUHAMMAD RASYDAN B ARIFFIN in 50’	4
MUHAMMAD ZULHILMI B RAMLEE	19
KEITH WONG JIA FENG	20
MARK KOH HORNG AN	21
MUHAMAD HAMIZAN B KARYAT	22
MUHAMMAD YUSRI B SELAMAT	14
ELHAN AKMAL B SAHRIL	11

SPL ROUND OF 16 GROUP STANDINGS

	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
S’pore Sports School	1	1	0	0	5	0	5	3
Bendemeer	1	1	0	0	4	1	3	3
Bowen	1	0	0	1	1	4	-3	0
Kranji	1	0	0	1	0	5	-5	0