Senior Bullets outdone by NZ Champions again!

9 Mar 2013

 The pre-match check by the referee

The Senior Bullets started their quarter-final round of the NZ Inter-Schools Competition this morning with a 1-3 defeat to reigning NZ Champions Sengkang Secondary School.

However, the match was closer than the scoreline suggests. With 3 key players ruled out through injury, the Bullets put up a courageous show of tenacity and discipline to push their much heralded opponents all the way to the final whistle.

The match began with a frantic pace and it was Bowen who created the more clear-cut chances. Returning from a 5-match ban, Bullets striker Javier Ho was put through on goal by striker partner Karthik in the 20^th min but his effort was quickly blocked out by the onrushing Sengkang goalkeeper. Both sides nullified each other’s tactical moves and were relieved when the half-time whistle went.

The pace was just as frenetic in the 2^nd half and there was nothing to choose between the 2 sides. However, a lapse of concentration by the Bowen defence in the 55^th min allowed Sengkang left winger to deliver a grounder across the Bullets’ goalmouth to be poked in by his counterpart on the right. Nevetheless, the Bullets worked hard to look for a reply and earned the equaliser in the 60^th min. A free kick outside the penalty box by Bullets skipper Muhd Azfar evaded the Sengkang wall and found the bottom left hand corner of the Sengkang goal.

8 minutes later, Sengkang took advantage of a goalmouth melee and some hesitation by Bullets keeper Danial Haikel to help the ball into goal. Sengkang’s second goal seemed to take the stuffing out of Bowen’s challenge and in the 72^nd minute, Sengkang blasted in the 3^rd goal to put the result beyond doubt.

Sengkang	3-1	Bowen
		Azfar 60’
Substitution
Ren Yu for Rafid 70’