Hilderinc Football Club

The Hilderincs were caught in the latest bout of deja vu as they suffered another less than deserved result following an incredible five week recess from competitive action, a recurring effect suffered by the Blacks in a bewildering debut ESPZEN Saturday League season, which has seen them denied any momentum whatsoever to due lengthy fixtures gaps between games.

Meeting perennial friendly game opponents of the Blacks’ bygone ESPZEN Sunday football days, the current encounter with Playground Rivals FC presented added incentives of much needed league points in a fledgling campaign, and if pass meetings were any indicator, it was also going to be an enthralling tie from start to finish.

And true to all pre-match expectations, it was a blistering start from the first whistle, with Rama Witjaksono forcing the Rivals keeper to a full stretch to tip the his shot over the crossbar in the opening seconds.

Within a minute, the Hilderincs were again denied the opener when Logaraj Sundram’s audacious attempt clipped off the woodwork with the keeper stranded.

As both team found good purpose cancelling each other, clear opportunities for either were few and far in between, though Gopal Peethambaran was more active of the two keepers, keeping the Blacks in the game with his shot stopping, while David Calvert whizzed past the post, the closest they came after the opening blitz.

Contrasting the excitement of the first period, the restart was patchy and void of any fluidity, with both teams labouring to assert themselves over the other, though the Rivals were spending more time in the Hilderincs half, forcing multiple corners, and with the Blacks living on the edge at times, were lucky not to be punished.

David Calvert again presented the best chance for the Hilderincs to take the lead when he raced unto goal following a counterattack and will his shot bulging the back of the net, most in the ground thought he had indeed scored an impressive solo goal, only to realise it was just off the intended target.

With the Blacks tilting the game and reverting the action inside the Rivals’ half with their direct play, there was little to suggest that the day will not end in a positive note for them until they were undone in sickening and exasperating fashion when two quick goals went pass them, one unfortunately but both avoidable.

Despite that, the Blacks were inches from pulling one back when Serhat Delbeyler was inches wide after he met Kumaresan Maniam’s cross with header.

However, unlike the Blacks’ previous exploits against the Rivals, there was to be no sensational comeback after they were hit for three moments later, and with all the goals coming in the final 15 minutes, the Hilderincs simply ran out of time, though it took a brave Sunny Tharidu’s goalline clearance and a Gopal Peethambaran save to limit the damage.

With all to still play for in the season, the Hilderincs will be taking this defeat in the chin, regroup and look forward to their next league game, thankfully, their first back to back competitive fixture this season.

Final Score

Hilderinc FC 0 : Playground Rivals FC 0

MOM: Gopal Peethambaran

Starting Line Up

1. Gopal Peethambaran

2. Steve Tan

3. Wong Yih-Khai

4. Antonio Cervero

5. Nicholas Ledenmark

6. Rama Witjaksono

7. Serhat Dalbeyler

8. David Calvert

9. Logaraj Sundram

10. Ian Morris

11. Rahmat Saring

Substitutions

12. Chris Soh

13. David Zheng

14. Mathew Joseph

15. Sunny Tharidu

16. Jon Loh

17. Sam Thorley

18. Kumaresan Maniam

19. Simon Ackland

20. Alberto Bartoli

• ESPZEN Saturday League 17 Division 2

• HFC ESPZEN League 17 Season Player Stats