A comprehensive win that saw the BC leapfrog both Westminster and BLAS FC and climb to 4th in the EFL, with two games remaining. Next week’s game is against 5th-placed BLAS, narrowly beaten 2-1 by 2nd-placed St Andrews on Sunday. Leaders J-Heat beat Colors Utd 2-0, while Buona Vista Saints defeated Credit Suisse.
On a lethally uneven pitch in the wastelands of northern Singapore’s Yishun New Town, and in a game spoiled by a Little Hitler of a referee – the match ended 10-a-side – MJ was nutmegged. Clean between his legs. Luvverly. The dry, bumpy playing surface -- a devilish mix of long grass and patchy sand, plus the occasional fledgling boulder – put ball control at a premium. A suspect referee made any physical contact an overt act of warmongering.
The BC dominated the opening exchanges, but were regularly frustrated by offside decisions called by a distant referee, who brooked no talkback. After 20 minutes, GT, a constant source of prodding and probing, fed PR on the left, and his low cross found an unmarked SM, who made no mistake with an emphatic finish from near the penalty spot.
Twelve minutes later, (Scottish) JR nudged the ball forward on the right to MJ, who advanced with menace on goal and passed unselfishly for the onrushing MB to tap in from close range. The scorer was later kicked from behind in apparent retribution for an alleged elbow offence on a team mate, earning his opponent a caution. Half-time: 2-0.
Playing downhill in the second-half, the BC built solidly and, despite the pitch, moved the ball around with some comfort. MB found space on the left, MJ on the right, with GT pivotal in the centre. For all that, it was Route One for Number Three. CB collected a corner cleanly and assuredly and booted downfield. On the fifth bounce, a panting AL latched on to the ball to thump home.
Midway through the second half , the BC made the game safe. IG won a header on half-way, SM worked the ball to AL, who laid on a perfect pass for MJ to smash high into the net from the corner of the penalty area. SM was next into the referee’s book, cautioned for grappling with a Westminster full-back who nudged him with his bottom.
Then AL was adjudged offside. A raised eyebrow from Golden Arches to query the decision.
“Offside,” explained the referee. “Yes please,” replied Big Ant, mistaking the response for “Upsize”. “Offside, you,” repeated the referee heatedly. “Yes. I said yes please,” shouted an exasperated Ant. Enraged at this Ang Mo’s face-losing cheek, the black-uniformed official screamed “Offside”. “Yes. Upsize!” Ant shouted back, face reddening and eyes bulging.
At that, the referee brandished a yellow card. Ant refused to turn around to show his shirt number, and was swiftly upsized to a red card and wandered off to the obvious bemusement of wife L, who had been hoping to win the Wag of the Year award for faithfully turning up match-in, match-out. Now, she faced the worry of whether Ant would be banned for a match? Then would she come and watch?
After the dismissal, GT, all tricks and flicks in a dominant second-half showing, was crunched to the ground and kicked by a flailing centre half. The defender, cautioned in the first half for deliberate handball, was shown a straight red.
As darkness set in, the BC continued to create chances and kept the home side at bay. JR, AM and IG held firm at full-back, while AP – whose company’s executives are themselves trialling a new cream that, when applied between the buttocks, produces delayed spoof flatulence (great for parties and maybe a 2007 hit in boardrooms worldwide) -- IB and CP controlled the line and the Westminster forwards. BM had a storming first-half in the middle, and a shaven-headed TC was all flailing limbs and snarling aggression on the right midfield, possibly annoyed that a fall in world crude prices to a 17-month low will dent his inflated trading commissions. MB ran his flank, and will probably receive written death threats from Chelsea fans after an innocuous challenge resulted in a bloody nose for Westminster’s brave keeper. GM drove a second-half free-kick from near the halfway line against the crossbar.
Westminster failed to muster a single decent chance to trouble CB in goal.
Several potential MoM winners; BM ran and harried tirelessly, PR bristled with pace and aggression up front but, for my money, GT’s skill and vision from centre midfield was a key differentiator between the two sides.
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