Hilderinc Football Club

After weeks of improved and laudable displays, Hilderinc FC were brought crashing back to senses by TGA Strollers in another blistering afternoon in the Equatorial Football League Saturday QD1 fixture.

Still tormented by the experience of the of the earlier tie back in January, when the Hilderincs requested to forfeit the game at halftime after several players were exhibiting signs of heat stroke, the revisit to GESS at another 1pm kickoff was something they were not looking fondly to.

Undeniably, a stable squad over the weeks has been one of the key reasons for the slow upturn in performances, but the timing returned the Blacks to the deprivation they have suffered for much of their debut campaign, leaving the numbers critical even 24hours before kickoff.

And if not for the inclusion of Hilderinc Socials, Gibson Chia and Kris Watson, Hilderinc Twā, Tutu Soe, Zac Soh and Sergey Darovskikh, who both decided to play despite lack of sleep due to work and returning from a trip, and the late addition of Tan Euren, the Hilderincs would been facing the barrel, even before they turned up at the arena, and with an injured Nicholas Collick making up the rest of the matchday numbers, the Blacks were forced to, literally, do with what they had, and with an alternated formation.

Loathing the 1pm kickoff, the Hilderincs, though with a tad better start than the first test at the same venue, returned to debilitating old ways, allowing TGA to pick them off at will, as gross inattention and sluggishness eliminated themselves even before they had a chance to go.

With the heat taking its toll yet again, constant readjustment of personnel, more often in forced into positions was counterproductive, but with little options, that was the best they could do, and the injury induced withdrawal of Sergey Darovskikh, who himself a substitute, midway into the first half further exacerbated the already chancy position.

And with little to show for and all but chasing shadows as TGA lorded over them, the hapless Blacks, who by now abhorred their presence at the difficult venue, were determined to keep the scoreline below double digits, and more than what they did, the Strollers’ carelessness in front of goal kept the numbers uncomfortably bearable, especially when a penalty was missed after the Hilderincs, collectively on Saturday and Sunday, were penalised with an incredible 10th spotkick awarded against them in season.

Danzal Han hitting the crossbar with a long-range attempt in the first half, and sporadic glimpses of intent towards the end was all the Blacks could muster on an afternoon where they were a vast chasm away from a quality opponents, with whom, quite curiously had a more close contest when they first met at the Hilderincs’ homeground in the opening months of the season, to further support their distrust of the 1pm kickoff at what has become a wretched pitch as far as they are concerned.

Optimistically, the Blacks will have an immediate chance to bounce back from the rout as they take on Exiles FC tomorrow in an unique double bill weekend as the Hilderincs play two EFL Saturday fixtures on consecutive days.

Equatorial Football League QD1

TGA Stollers 8 : Hilderinc FC 0

POM: Nicholas Ledenmark

Starting Line-up

1. Jose Kasijo (GK)

2. Fahmy “Ollie” Barker

3. Gibson Chia

4. Nicholas Ledenmark

5. Christopher Collick

6. Nicolo Yang

7. Basil Chai

8. Danzal Han

9. Melvin Sim

10. Ian Morris

11. Tan Euren

Substitutes

12. Kris Watson

13. Nicholas Collick

14. Sergey Darovskikh

15. Thuwun “Tutu” Soe

16. Zac Soh

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