Hilderinc Football Club

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While football is undoubtedly the Beautiful Game, but ironically, to say that is also the most cruel game will be an understatement, and Hilderinc FC were the latest in the line of many teams to find that out when they went down to a solitary goal against Purple Monkeys FC in a vastly entertaining game.

Having lost 5-1 in the earlier meeting when the Blacks were highly patched-up in several departments, the Monkeys had their eyes set on a repeat performance, more so considering HFC’s bewildering position in the league table.

Bolstered by the return of several players and the addition of a trio of debutants in Hoonki Song, Sang Won Park and Xander Hoskinson, the Blacks were in full throttle in one of, if not, their best display so far, as an immaculate Hilderinc side took on the Monkeys in their own game.

Despite converting defender Sunny Tharidu in goal again, it was sublime contribution from back to front as the Blacks pinned the Monkeys inside their own half for much of the first period, harassing and running rings around them with unrivalled industry and purpose with their pass and move football, leaving the opponents, especially the fullbacks, searching for answers while responding with speculative attempts at most.

But for all the productive input, the Blacks came short on making their possession quantifiable with only Ian Morris and Sam Thorley coming close to breaking the deadlock before the break.

For all the excitement of the first period, the second half started at a slower pace, with both teams content with a more measured approach.

However, with the Blacks mirroring the Monkeys’ manner, soon invited undue attention in their own half, but at the same breath allowed them to showcase impregnable qualities at the defensive end, effectively countering all of the opponents’ intent.

With the game opening up by the minute, the Blacks were not short of their own foray deep inside the opponents’ half as the Monkeys sat deeper, in fear of the Hilderincs pace and energy, which they struggled to keep in check throughout the game.

Finding a purple patch, the Blacks came close to a goal during of their several attempts when Sashikumar Mahathevan narrowly crashed his shot into the side netting.

And with the game increasingly looking to head towards an engaging stalemate, the oxymoronic football showed it’s true colours, as far the Hilderincs were concerned, when one fortuitous bounce of the ball turned the outcome of the game, with the Monkeys capitalising on a rare lapse to score the only goal of the fixture, much to the disgust of the Blacks but more of a relief to the scorers.

With less than a quarter left, the Hilderincs went for broke in defiant fashion, and were unfortunate not to get something out of the game with the Monkeys hanging on desperately to their lead, so much so that they even had time to engage in some monkey business with the referee in a sum of mathematics, after being pre-occupied with the Blacks’ substitute configuration.

However, the Hilderincs had to deal with the hard fact that they had been downed not by the better side on the day.

But moving forward, and with only three games left, they will certainly see out this extremely annoying season and a possible drop in the most rebellious disposition.

Final Score

Hilderinc FC 0 : Purple Monkeys FC 1

MOM: Denis Lobov

Yellow Card: Colin Thornley

Staring Lineup

1. Sunny Tharidu

2. Glenn Sandhu

3. Denis Lobov

4. Nicholas Ledenmark

5. Mike Rooke

6. Jon Loh

7. Rama Witjaksono

8. Hoonki Song

9. Colin Thornley

10. Ian Morris

11. Xander Hoskinson

Substitutes

12. Sashikumar Mahathevan

13. Omar Mahnin

14. Sam Thorley

15. Sang Won Park

16. Michael De Bear

17. Marko Belak

18. Satoki Yoshida

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