Junior Bullets close the season with a last-gasp draw

6 Mar 2012



The C Div boys from Bowen bowed out of the NZ Inter-Schools Football tournament with a well-deserved 1-1 draw against Woodlands Secondary this afternoon at Sengkang Sec Field. With the result, the Bullets finished 3^rd in the quarter-final table behind favourites Singapore Sports School and Sengkang Secondary School.



Missing 3 key players through suspension and sickness, the junior Bullets were not at their best, failing to produce their usual spring on the ball and neat inter-passing. Striker Javier Ho and midfield general Muhd Danial were serving one-match suspensions while Muhd Aizan was sick. Muhd Ridhuan was called up to make his debut in central midfield but could not keep pace with the game. In the 12^th min, the Bullets conceded a free kick which was floated over the entire Bullets defence into goal, surprising Bullets goalkeeper Muhd Rozaini who stood rooted to the ground.

Bullets right-back Adrian Sim

The goal stung the Bullets into life. Striker Muhd Afiq was a constant menace to the Woodlands defence, threatening to beat the entire Woodlands defence with his trickery and movement with the ball. Some semblance of the real Bullets began to show but with key players missing, it was always going to be an uphill task.

Bullets centre-back Muhd Akmal making another clearance

In the 2^nd half, the Bullets began to close down space and set up camp in the Woodlands half. But numerous chances were foiled successfully by the Woodlands players who were under relentless pressure from the Bullets.

The Bullets looked like heading for their 3^rd consecutive 1-nil loss when midfielder-turned-striker, Aloysius Lee popped up in the last minute of the match to float a free kick into the Woodlands goal for the equaliser. It was an identical goal which the Bullets had conceded earlier in the match but it was nonetheless, celebrated with understandable relief.

The Bullets subs of the day!

At least, the Bullets could claim to be a top-6 C Division team in the North Zone. Well done boys!

Man-of-the-Match: Once again Muhd Afiq mesmerised the opponents with his mazy runs and tenacity. But skipper Muhd Akmal also caught the eye with uncompromising performance in the centre of defence.

Line-up: Rozaini, Akmal, Adrian, Saiful, Sureen, Ridhuan (Samuel), Rafid, Aloysius, Hazim, Riley (Damien), Afiq

Junior Bullets succumb to late goal in titanic tussle with Singapore Sports School

5 Mar 2012

The junior Bullets put up one of their best performances this year in a NZ Inter-Schools C Div Boys quarter-finals match last Thursday afternoon but it was not enough to overcome hot favourites Singapore Sports School.

Bowen Team waiting for the rain to stop

The underdog tag given to the Bullets was enough motivation for the Bowen boys to face up to SSPS even when heavy rain and lightning threatened to postpone the match before it began. When the skies cleared and the go-ahead was given by the referee 30 minutes late, the Bullets showed vigour and enterprise. Closing down space quickly and high up on the field, they restricted the SSPS boys from playing their football. Yet, the Bullets were able to conjure up tantalising movement and in fact, created many worthwhile chances that must have given the favourites a scare. Midfielder Aloysius continued his superb form with a rising shot that just brushed the crossbar. On two occasions, excellent crosses were sent into the danger area but no one was at the far post to nod home the ball. Creative use of the short corners involving Muhd Afiq also baffled the SSPS boys. At half-time, anyone could have been guessing which team was actually the favourite.

The second half began in the same vein with both teams sticking to their starting line-ups and formation. With a special appearance from the Bowen School principal Mr Bernard Chew and Discipline Master, Muhd Farid, the Bullets were aptly fired up. But try as they might, the Bowen strikeforce could not put the ball in the net. Good interplay between Muhd Afiq, Aloysius Lee and Javier Ho saw Bowen’s attack advance into the penalty box but when it was time to pull the trigger, the SSPS defence stood firm to clear. In the 42nd minute, a corner was cleared out of the penalty box and Muhd Danial arrived quickly to fire a rising shot over the bar.

As the Bullets tire, SSPS took advantage with good play out to the flanks. In the 51st minute, one of the crosses found an unmarked SSPS striker in the penalty box for an easy headed goal. One goal down and the Bullets’ task became herculean. Yet, the underdogs fought on till their engines ran out.  In a rare occasion, forward Javier was put through behind the defence but the ball skidded towards the rushing goalkeeper to clear. And that was the last of Bowen’s chances.

With the second loss in the quarter-finals stage, the Bullets are now out of the competition. They have fought a good battle which they lost but their spirits have won the war. The next match against Woodlands Secondary will be an academic exercise but the Bullets will definitely want to invoke that same pride and spirit to get a result to end the season.

Man-of-the-Match: Almost the whole team is up for the accolade.

Line-up: Rozaini, Akmal, Adrian, Saiful, Hazim (Sureen), Danial, Aloysius, Rafid, Aizan, Afiq, Javier.

Bullets rue wasted chances as they go down to a solitary goal

28 Feb 2012

The junior Bullets cross swords with Sengkang Secondary School this afternoon and came out second best by a narrow 1-nil margin. A goal conceded from a momentary lapse of concentration in the first half was enough to cost the Bullets. Even a courageous performance in the second half to find the equaliser was in vain.

In a tightly-contested encounter, both sides closed down every inch on the pitch, making play scrappy. Possession was even but the Sengkang boys were creating the better chances.  Off a corner in the 18^th minute, Sengkang opened accounts when a corner kick from the right was half-cleared by the Bullets. With no Bullet taking responsibility for the second clearance, the ball bounced out of the penalty box but fell nicely to a Sengkang midfielder who punted the ball accurately into the goal beyond the reach of Bullets goalkeeper, Muhd Rozaini.

The Bullets tried to provide a quick response, with good inter-play in midfield and forwards, Javier and Afiq making incisive runs into the danger area. They were not able to make the breakthrough behind the opponent’s defence but earned several free kicks in decent positions. Alas, these were all wasted as the free-kicks were sent directly into the hands of the grateful Sengkang goalkeeper. Just before the half-time whistle, the enterprising Afiq showed good skills to get behind the Sengkang defence and down the by-line. However, the resulting cross was too close to the goalkeeper.

In the 2^nd half, the Bullets dished out more of the same but the final ball was either too long or cleared by the last defender. They did well to limit Sengkang to a couple of attempts at goal with an open shot superbly palmed away by Rozaini. As the clock ticked by, more Bullet attacks were beginning to go down the flanks to avoid the tall Sengkang central defenders. With such high energy coursing through the Bowen team, one might feel an equaliser coming. It almost arrived when right- midfielder Aloysius Lee had a left-footed shot in the 46^th min fumbled by the Sengkang goalkeeper. The best chances were from free-kicks and corners but the Bullets wasted almost all of them with poor delivery into the box.

The referee blew for full time to signal a failed Bullets comeback. The Bowen boys looked dejected as they leave the field but if they want to overcome their next opponent in the form of hot favourites Singapore Sports School, they will need to snap out of their daze and learn to make their opportunities count.

Man-of-the Match: Muhd Afiq for showing great hunger for the match, taking responsibility  for most of the Bullets’ attacking play despite missing lunch this morning.

Line-up: Rozaini, Akmal, Saiful, Adrian, Hazim, Danial, Aizan, Rafid, Aloysius, Afiq, Javier