Senior Bullets bow out after heartbreaking loss to Fuchun

24 Feb 2014

Bullets having a team huddle before the start of the match

It was a toned down atmosphere at Marsiling Sec School Field this afternoon as the Bowen Bullets faced off with Fuchun Sec for a place in the last 4 of the NZ Inter-Schools B Div Boys Football Championship. After crowd trouble surfaced at the previous match day, security was beefed up as supporters were barred from watching the match at the grandstand. And the sombre mood matched that of the Bullets after the match as they suffered another heartbreaking loss.

Hilman (no. 6) providing cover for Muhd Akmal (covered) during an aerial attack

Fuchun started the brighter of the two sides as they launched attacks by sending long balls to the channels, trying to take advantage of their 3-man strikeforce. Other than a few shots off target, there was little to trouble the Bullets. Once the Bullets settled down midway through the first half, they began to play the better football.

The score remained scoreless at the end of the first half but 11 minutes after the restart, Fuchun scored a fortunate goal when Bullets goalkeeper Muhd Rozaini fumbled a routine overhead catch. Once the ball was spilled into play, two Fuchun players immediately rushed in and combined to nod the ball into an unguarded goalmouth with some suspicion of an offside.

Muhd Hakim (no. 13) taking a throw-in

The Bullets threw caution to the wind, bringing on an extra attacker in an attempt to find the equaliser but lady luck did not smile on them. Muhd Danial misjudged an inviting cross from substitute Aloysius Lee in the 65th minute, allowing the ball to bounce across him and out of bounds.

Bullets defending a corner from Fuchun

That chance was lost but several more were to come. The best opportunity came in the 73rd minute when substitute Faris Hanan was put through on goal and got to the ball first before colliding with the oncoming Fuchun goalkeeper. To the dismay of the Bowen bench, the referee denied the Bullets a stonewall penalty, awarding a freekick to Fuchun instead for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Muhd Akmal (no. 8) glancing a header wide 

Unfortunately, the better team lost on the day and when the final whistle came at 1-0 to Fuchun, it signalled the end of Bowen's enterprising run in the North Zone competition. The last match against Serangoon Sec on Wednesday would now seem academic but the Bullets' pride would want to have a last say in who qualifies for the semi-finals from the group.

Bullets clearing their lines

Muhd Hanafi (centre) and skipper Tan Ren Yu (blue no. 7) fighting for midfield supremacy

Fuchun	1 – 0		Bowen
Goals Scored (Bowen only)
		--
Substitutions (Bowen only)
Aloysius Lee for Adrian Sim 48’ Faris Hanan for Tan Ren Yu 62’
Yellow Cards
Hilman 41’ Muhd Akmal 68’