Junior Bullets rue defensive mistakes that gave Sengkang Sec 3-1 win

27th February 2014

Bullets captain (with armband) going for the coin toss

All it took were 2 costly defensive mistakes to separate the Bowen C Div boys from Sengkang Secondary School boys. It was the end of the road for the Junior Bullets in the NZ Inter-Schools Football Championship as they were cruelly exposed by their opponents this afternoon at Serangoon Sec to lose 1-3 and miss out on a semi-final spot.

The Bullets trying to clear the ball to release some pressure

It is the 3rd year running that the Junior Bullets have failed to claim a top 4 ranking in the championship but judging from their first-half performance, it would not be long before they reclaim the accolade. The Bowen Bullets were faster and hungrier in the first-half tussle for dominance. Midfielders Muhd Zamani and Muhd Tahalif combined well to force the Sengkang boys backpeddling; defenders Benny Tan, Muhd Rasydan and Harith Aniq were also quick to the ball, making effective clearances that prevented Sengkang from making any headway in attack.

The Bullets raiding the Sengkang penalty box

However, the good work in the first half was all undone in the first minute of the 2nd half. Instead of booting the ball away, the Bullet defence knocked the ball straight to a thankful Sengkang attacker in the middle of the penalty box and he needed no second invitation to slam the ball into an empty net.

Bullets centre-back shrugging off the attention of 2 Sengkang players

Things got worse in the 40th minute when Bullets skipper Benny Tan failed to connect with a clearance and a Sengkang striker latched on to the ball to stab it past out-of-position goalkeeper Desmong Ong.

It seemed all over for the Bullets in the 45th minute when striker Aizal Murhamdani's overhead volley off a snap pass from Zamani was safely caught by the Sengkang goalkeeper. The Bullets did not give up and continued to chase every ball as the match threatened to run away from them. And 5 minutes later, Bullets attacking midfielder Muhd Irfan lifted the spirits of his team mates when he hooked a long throw from Zamani past a rooted Sengkang keeper into goal.

Bullets midfielder Muh Zamani resorting to unorthodox method to win the ball

Life returned to the match as the tide began to swing back to the Bullets. An equaliser looked likely to come any time as the Bullets went for broke but a momentary lapse of concentration allowed Sengkang to restore the 2-goal lead with 5 more minutes to go. Hemmed in just inside the penalty box, a Sengkang attacker had no where to go with the ball but the pressure from the Bullets eased off, allowing him to swivel and deliver a left-footed grounder into the Bullets' goal.

Bullets midfielder Muhd Zamani emerging unscathed from the attention of the Sengkang defenders

Time finally ran out for the Bowen Bullets at the final whistle as the players in blue slumped to the ground, agonising over what could have been.

Bowen	1 – 3	Sengkang
Goals Scored (Bowen only)
Muhd Irfan 50’
Substitutions (Bowen only)
Nur Ithar Iqmal for MD Dzulfadhl 47'