 Lucky Oranje escapes with a draw
Henderson sec - It was an important game between the two teams sitting in the second and third position in the table. OGS showed great determination and teamwork and was a very much improved side since the last time both teams met about six months ago (which T.O won with a convincing 4-2 scoreline).
OGS deservedly went ahead at the 10th minute after the T.O defence had gone to sleep, allowing the striker to creep in from behind to score from close range. OGS was a dominant force and could have gone further ahead if not for a penalty miss. T.O was handed a lifeline. At the end of the first half, two yellow cards were awarded to the Oranje camp, which could have been much worse if the referee had been more critical of the over zealous tackles meted out to OGS.
The second half was as intensive as the first. OGS was awarded their second penalty of the day. Wan got a hand to the powerful shot but was unable to prevent it from trickling into goal.
T.O's mini comeback came with less than 20 minutes of the game remaining. Fadley's flickon set Alan Lam through on goal and he kept all his cool to slot the ball past the advancing keeper. Minutes later, the scoreline was 2-2 after Fazlin struck from the penalty spot.
OGS kept up the high game tempo and duly regained their lead at the 83rd minute, heading into goal from a corner. There was a last bit of controversy at the 93rd minute when T.O scored with the last kick of the game.
Team performance:  1/2 Team Orange Man-of-the-match: Fadley - Reasons as follow:
1) Conceded a penalty with his first involvement in the game (opponent sent the penalty shot wide. Their morale slightly affected)
2) Sent Alan Lam through on goal with a header flick on (Alan scored as a result)
3) Won a penalty in OGS box (which Fazlin duly converted to bring scoreline to 2-2)
4) Got his brother (Faris) down for the game, whose biggest contribution was to score the equaliser with the last kick of the game
Team list: Wan (GK), Saiful, David, Yus, Hongfu, John Mo, J****, Fazlin (capt), Bryan Ong, Hamzah, Fadley, Faris, Klevyn, Safiee, Alan Lam
Goalscorers: Alan Lam (70'), Fazlin (pen 78'), Faris (90') Assist: Fadley Yellow cards: Fadley, Yus Red card: None  Team Orange and Club M plays out to a highly entertaining game
Henderson sec - A total of 8 goals were scored in a highly entertaining and high tempo match between familiar oppositions Team Orange and Club M.
It was the 9th meeting since the first time both teams met in the now defunct Playsports league and there was no love lost as both teams went for each other's throat right from the start of the game.
Statistical trends have shown that Oranje normally walks away with the three points when there are at least 18 players in the match day squad. However, such a luxury had become a rarity of late and it was only after a late rallying call by the gaffer that the number was boosted to 14, which still meant that there would be limited subs on the bench.
Klevyn could have given T.O a dream start as early as the 2nd minute, only to see his shot go wide past the post. Club M immediately struck back with a 3rd minute goal, after the T.O keeper misjudged the long shot. The lead was doubled four minutes later, after yet another defensive lapse, allowing the Club M striker to score from close range.
T.O would not give up easily. Billy who had to step into the central defence role in the absence of the regular centerbacks, sent a pint-point pass to Klevyn, who beat the offside trap before calmly placing the ball past the opposite keeper. Just before the 1st half ended, from a freekick position, Billy was on hand to provide another assist to Fazlin to score the equaliser for T.O.
The second half was as exciting, if not more entertaining than the first half. The 59th minute saw T.O went ahead for the first time in the game. After a series of sweeping passes, Junjie made the final pass to Darren, who unleashes a thunderbolt into the top right hand corner of the goal. The joy was however shortlived as Club M equalised with another long shot two minutes later.
Tingfu, who had an improved performance since his last game in December, missed two glorious chances to put T.O back into the lead. At the 73rd minute, Khristian's two feet tackle, albeit with no ill intentions, was deemed unacceptable by the referee and Club M made no mistakes from the resulting penalty spot.
The last bit of drama was saved for the last minute. At the 90th minute, Darren's trademark thunderbolt shot was saved on the line. But that was not it. An indirect freekick was awarded in the Club M's penalty box after the keeper was deemed to be resorting to time wasting, holding the ball past the "6 seconds" time frame. From the freekick, Darren did the tap on for Captain Faz to power the ball past the 10 men wall and into the back of the net.
4-4 the final score, what a game!
Team performance: 1/2 Team Orange Man-of-the-match: Lian Hua (Lion Heart Defending)
Team list: Wan (GK), Alan Toh, Lian Hua, Billy Goh, Audie, Khristian, Junjie, Tingfu, Fazlin (capt), Darren, Hamzah, Yong Keng, Gregory, Klevyn
Goalscorers: Klevyn (13'), Fazlin (43',90'), Darren (59') Assists: Billy (2), Junjie, Darren Yellow cards: Fazlin Red card: None  Oranje's biggest win of the season
Regent sec - Team Orange secured the biggest win of the season with a 6-0 trashing of Maoist FC, on a day when almost every goal-scoring opportunity was converted to a goal. Despite the return of prolific striker Muhammad Izzuan after a six week stint in China, it was not enough to lift Maoist to victory as they succumbed to their second straight defeat in the league. T.O's defensive lineup was boosted by the availability of Chen Guan, Yus, Hafiz and Hongfu, all four central defenders whom, will be an automatic first choice in any team they walk into. Maoist started the game the brighter of the two sides and dominated possession for the first ten minutes. T.O turned the tides when Khairul came on for Junjie at the fifteenth minute and his first contribution was to earn a penalty after being felled by the Maoist defender. Klevyn had to step up twice to take the penalty kick after the first was ruled out by the referee as one of the T.O players had stepped into the box before the kick was taken. The end result was the same as T.O took a deserving lead. Barely ten minutes later, another Maoist defender conceded a foul in the penalty box grabbing the ball with his hand while on the ground, on the presumption that he was being fouled. Fadley confidently converted the spotkick for a comfortable 2-0 lead going into half time.  The spectators had barely warmed their seats for the second half when T.O scored at the 46th minute. Teck Boon's surging run on the right beat the wingback and his resulting cross found Klevyn, who had the easiest of task to head the ball into an open goal. Man-of-the-match Khairul was on hand to provide all the assists for the next three goals. The first was a trademark dribble to the byline before pulling the ball back to the center, finding Fadley who had the honor to bundle the ball into the back of the net. Bryan Ong was next on the scoresheet, collecting Khairul's pass and sending a shot past the helpless keeper. With minutes to go before the final whistle, Khairul created another chance for his compatriot from Admiralz (Hafiz) to score the team's sixth and final goal of the game. With only 6 games to go before the season ends for Team Orange, the gaffer will hope that the team carry on the momentum and win all remaining games, including the much awaited game against league leaders Avengers FC.
For Maoist match report, please go to this LINK.
Team performance: 1/2 Team Orange Man-of-the-match: Khairul (At the heart of every attacking move)
Team list: Wan (GK), Alan Toh, David, Hafiz, Hongfu, Chen Guan, Yus, Teck Boon (capt), Junjie, Billy Goh, Fadley, John Mo, Hamzah, Klevyn, Chen Loon, Khairul, Bryan Ong
Fly aeroplane: Yong Keng, Sufian
Goalscorers: Klevyn (2), Fadley (2), Bryan Ong, Hafiz Assists: Teck Boon, Khairul (3) Yellow cards: Yus Red card: None
 Oranje's double over BLASJuying sec - Team Orange completed the double over BLAS having beaten them 3-0 in the first leg and securing another emphatic 5-2 victory at Juying sec. Coming into the game knowing that anything less than a victory would further reduce their chances at the championship, Team Orange turned up in droves. The inconsistent turnout at games summed up T.O's performance for the second half of the season, but it was not difficult to infer that the team normally comes away with good results with a huge squad at the gaffer's dispense. T.O signaled their intentions early on in the game. Fazlin scored from a freekick as early as the 11th minute as BLAS argued that the freekick should have been an indirect one, only for the referee to wave off the protests and book their captain for dissent. Known for their prowess in front of goal, BLAS almost equalised at the 18th minute, only to be denied by the superb reflexes of Sharizan, who made a finger tip save to prevent an almost certain goal. Even the T.O supporters at the sidelines were expecting the powerful shot to cannon straight into the back of the net. The BLAS striker could only hold his head in disbelief. Four minutes later, T.O doubled their lead. Klevyn's persistent chasing at the front saw him taking full advantage of a defensive lapse to bundle the ball into goal. It was all but over at the 29th minute after Fazlin single handedly dribbled past the whole BLAS defence before walking the ball over the goal line for the team's third goal and his second for the day. A comfortable 3-0 lead for T.O going into half time.  Team BLAS staged a mini comeback by scoring two goals in quick succession at the 50th and 52nd minute. Despite the deficit being reduced to one, the gaffer remained confident of the outcome and chose to use the star forward Khairul sparingly, keeping him on the sidelines until 60th minute. The moment he was unleashed from the bench, Khairul ran the BLAS defence amok, picking a pass from Junjie and scoring right in the middle. By the 74th minute, BLAS fate was sealed when Khairul scored the team's fifth goal. A minute later, BLAS had the ball in the back of the net, only for it to be ruled out for offside. At the 81st minute, Fazlin almost got his first hat-trick in T.O's colors but his powerful shot found the post instead of the net. In all due respect, BLAS was not totally overrun by T.O despite less than the flattering scoreline. There were no less than than five goal bound shots brilliantly saved by the T.O keeper and BLAS players could only rue their missed chances. A strong comeback by Team Orange after last weekend's undeserving loss to Hibernians Legends and the gaffer will hope to have good turnouts for the remaining 7 games to give themselves a real chance at the EFL title. Team performance: Team Orange Man-of-the-match: Sharizan (Everyone was treated to a top class goalkeeping display by Sharizan. While the team was busy attacking and scoring goals at one end, he was the unsung hero who kept the goal intact, allowing the team to concentrate on what they do best, to SCORE).
Team list: Sharizan (GK), David, Hongfu, Khai (rugby), Lian Hua, Hafiz, Alan Toh, Junjie, Khairul, Fazlin (capt), John Mo, Hamzah, Wenjie, Khristian, Klevyn, Alan Lam, Yong Keng, Fadley
Goalscorers: Fazlin (11',29'), Klevyn (22'), Khairul (65',74') Assists: Fadley, Junjie Yellow cards: Alan Toh, John Mo? Red card: None  Orange falters at Hibs hurdleHenderson sec - Team Orange's EFL title hopes had all but diminished with an undeserving loss to the unsporting Hibernians Legends. From past experiences, it was expected that the Hibs would be at their usual self, loud and rude and the majority in the team would find every single opportunity to complain on the tackles meted out by T.O.
The turning point of the game would have to be at the 30th minute when the referee failed to send the Hibs central defender off, for a clear retaliation kick to the back of the T.O player. Instead, only a yellow card was shown to the culprit.
T.O equalised at the stroke of half time, after Fadley's throw-in eluded almost everyone in the penalty box, except for birthday boy Khristian, who was on hand to tuck the ball at the far post.
Hibernians regained the lead halfway through the second half way with a toe-poke shot, halting T.O's momentum in the process. Credit to the Hibs who defended stoutly with their huge burly bodies, coupled with the lack of ideas in front of goal, T.O simple could not beat the Hibernians backline.
1-2 the final scoreline as T.O succumbed to their 4th defeat of the season.
Team performance:
Team Orange Men-of-the-match: Chen Guan & Hongfu (A unique situation where we have 2 players tied for MOTM. Both men demonsrated brave couragerous defending against the bigger and physical opponents.)
Team list: Wan (GK), Junjie, Chen Guan (capt), Hongfu, David, Khristian, Hamzah, Fazlin (capt), Billy Goh, Fadley, Alan Lam, Klevyn, Wenjie, John Mo, Yong Keng
Goalscorer: Khristian (45') Assist: Fadley Yellow cards: Fazlin, Hamzah Red card: None  Oranje analysis - The race is certainly heating up for the EFL Qualifying Division Title with approximately 9 to 11 more games to go for the current top five teams in the league. With news of Avenger's win over Rampant Lions trickling in, Avengers currently lead the table with one game in hand over Team Orange. Following close behind is the French team, Olympique Gaulois, who could overtake in Team Orange in the league standings should they also win their remaining games in hand. Sitting comfortably in the forth and fifth positions are Hibernians and British Club 2nd XI, who are 10 points adrift from the peak but are mathematically still in with a shout. (statistics correct as at 10-03-12). Below is a simple analysis of the remaining games for the current top three teams in the league standings. Team Orange Played 19, Won 13, Drawn 3, Lost 3, GD 12 Remaining games: vs Avengers, vs Olympique Gaulois, vs Hibernians Legends, vs British Club 2nd XI, vs Maoist, vs Team BLAS, vs Club M, vs CBD Wanderers, vs Rome Eleven- Team Orange has a string of difficult matches to play in the 2nd round, having yet to play against the teams sitting in the top half of the table. Avengers Played 17, Won 12, Drawn 3, Lost 2, GD 27 Remaining games: vs Team Orange, vs Olympique Gaulois (2 games), vs Hibernians Legends, vs British Club 2nd XI, vs Maoist, vs Team BLAS, vs Singapore Vipers AS, vs Rampant Lions (played on 17-03-12), vs CBD Wanderers, vs Rome Eleven
- Similar to Team Orange's situation, Avengers will have to face off against teams from the top half of the table, with potential title deciding games against Olympique Gaulois (2 games) and Team Orange. The huge goal difference may prove to be a huge advantage for Avengers in the lead up to the championship. Olympique Gaulois Played 17, Won 12, Drawn 0, Lost 5, GD 20 Remaining games: vs Team Orange, vs Avengers (2 games), vs Hibernians Legends, vs British Club 2nd XI, vs Team BLAS, vs J-Heat, vs United Allianz, vs CDF Bishane Pak, vs Singapore Vipers AS, vs Rome Eleven
- The only team in the league who has yet to register a draw. For the 2nd round of games played thus far, OGS have played against teams sitting in the lower rungs, which mean that they may have relatively tougher games remaining. Judging from the first round of games, OGS have not performed well against the teams in the upper rungs, losing previously to Team Orange, British Club 2nd XI and J-Heat, a trend which may have to be bucked before they more back up to the top of the league.
Oranje keeps title hopes alive with crucial win
Henderson sec - Team Orange added another three points in the bag with a convincing 3-1 win over Rampant Lions and in the process completed the double over their youthful opponents.
The Lions drew first blood by scoring against the run of play but second half goals by Fazlin, Junjie and Klevyn sealed the win for T.O on a wet afternoon.
The huge turnout was a major boon for the gaffer as all 19 players contributed to the team's victory. Rampant Lions added youth in their ranks and was a stronger side as compared to the ageing team which T.O had played against earlier in the season.
T.O almost got off to a flying start with Fadley hitting the woodwork as early as the 3rd minute. Hamzah contributed to another near miss after his curling shot at the 17th minute found the crossbar instead of the back of the net. Despite the dominance by T.O in the early stages, it was the Lions who took the lead after the T.O rightback was caught out of position, allowing the winger to score with the team's first shot on goal.
It wasn't until the arrival of Billy and Lian Hua in the second half that T.O finally got their act together. Within 5 minutes after the restart, Fazlin had an almost certain goal superbly saved by the Lions keeper. But there was no denying of the man-on-fire at the 55th minute. Fazlin connected to Khristian's cross from the right to score from close range. The goal was the third consecutive game that Fazlin had scored in and was his forth in three games.
The goal boosted the team morale as T.O went for the kill. The second goal for T.O came 15 minutes later after a neat one-two with Steven saw Junjie drilled in a shot from outside the penalty box, leaving the keeper rooted to the ground. Junjie continued to showcase his uncanny ability to score from a defensive leftback position.
5 minutes after the second goal was scored, Klevyn wrapped up the game for T.O amidst strong calls for offside. Junjie's pass found Klevyn free on the left and the top goalscorer for 2011 continued his run into the box before unleashing a powerful shot beyond the keeper's reach. 3-1 the final scoreline and a well deserved win for the team looking to revive their chances of capturing the EFL championship crown.
Team performance: 1/2
Team Orange Man-of-the-match: Fazlin (Another MOTM performance, seeing him lead the goalscorers' chart with 4 goals).
Team list: Wan (GK), Jianhao, Junjie, Teck Boon, Chen Guan, Hongfu, Jiayu, David, Khristian, Sufian, Hamzah, Fazlin (capt), Steven Bock, Billy Goh, Lian Hua, Fadley, Chen Loon, Alan Lam, Klevyn
Goalscorers: Fazlin (57'), Junjie (72'), Klevyn (77')
Assists: Khristian, Steven Bock, Junjie
Yellow cards: Fazlin, Lian Hua
Red card: None
 Vipers defanged at the death Henderson sec - A last gasp winner from Fazlin secured 3 points for Oranje deservingly despite a terrific comeback from the Vipers.
Unlike the previous weeks, the attendance for T.O. was a healthy 19 players. This provided the much needed support which was sorely missing during the last match against Bishane Pak. Confidence were on a high right at the beginning upon seeing the good turnout although it took a slight knock when the referee was seen. Much could be said about his last refereeing performance when T.O. were mauled by the British Club. Words before the game from stand-in gaffer Jiayu summed the referee up.
T.O. started the game brightly with neat interchanges amongst the forward players. Darren Lee in particular was dictating play in the middle aided by lung bursting runs from Teck Boon on the right and some good movement by Klevyn and Fazlin. Klevyn had several chances to open his account for 2012 as well as the game’s first goal but the bar and some poor finishing let him down. It was little surprise when T.O. finally took the lead. It was good play by Darren to release Junjie on the left. His surge into the box was critical in drawing the keeper towards him. His selflessness to lay the ball on a platter for Fazlin to tap into an empty net has to be mentioned.
T.O. grew in confidence a lot and the second goal soon arrived. Fazlin tried a delicate chip but the keeper was equal to it, acrobatically tipping the ball over the bar and in turn, injuring himself. A long punt from Wan escaped the whole Vipers’ backline and Klevyn latched on to the ball before blasting it past the keeper to make it 2 nil to the good. That proved to be his last act for the half as he was substituted for Chen Loon. Klevyn seemed to also have substituted his misfiring ways to Chen Loon as the fresh striker managed to sneak a goal in after a gaffe by the newly substituted Vipers keeper, Ewan Lim.
Sensing that the game was almost in the bag, Oranje made major reshufflings of the team and it seemed to destabilise the team’s momentum. Vipers immediately scored from a freekick which managed to loop over Wan, into the top corner. Smelling blood, the Vipers started to have a upper hand of proceedings. One such attack led to their second goal but in controversial circumstances. The Vipers goal scorer was at least 2 metres offside when he volleyed in the ball but the referee awarded the goal amidst muted protest from T.O. players. Suddenly, Oranje seemed vulnerable. The first half could not have ended soon enough.
Vipers carried on where they left off in the first half. The two goals certainly did wonders to their battered confidence. After another surge into Oranje’s half, Vipers finally managed to equalise after their forward player rounded Wan and tapped into an empty net. The defence has been breached again. To be fair, that goal certainly woke T.O. up and they laid siege on the opponents’ goal with wave after wave of attack. Few could be forgiven for thinking that the game will end in a deadlock as the clock wound down.
With barely 5 minutes on the clock, Hamzah found Fazlin with acres of space and after beating the shabbily set offside trap, the man of the moment placed a firm shot to the bottom corner, prompting Ewan to curse into the air. Cometh the hour cometh the man! It was sheer jubilation from the players in green and the celebrations showed the unified team spirit and undying commitment to the cause that were deemed to be lacking in the past few matches. Darren had time to hit the woodwork before the referee blew the final whistle for a very deserving win in a frantic encounter. Team Orange is back!
Team Orange Man-of-the-Match (voted by Manager Mo): Fazlin (Relentless pressuring of the opponent and his creativity sparked the team’s attack which resulted in the goals. Superb!)
Team list: Wan (GK), Alan Toh, Yus, Jiayu, Junjie, Chen Guan(c), John Mo, Fazlin, Darren Lee, Sufian, Billy Goh, Chen Loon, Khristian, David, Klevyn, Hamzah, Teck Boon, Fadley, Bryan Ong
Goalscorers: Fazlin (15',75’), Klevyn (25’), Chen Loon (30’)
Assists: Junjie, Wan, Hamzah Yellow card: Bryan Ong Red card: None
 Bishane Pak dents Oranje's title hopes
Juying sec - Bishane Pak's 75th minute equaliser cuts Oranje's lead at the top of the table to three points, paving the way for Avengers and Olympique Gaulois to catch up. T.O opened the scoring at the 35th minute with a wonder shot from Fazlin, who thumped the ball into goal just after the center circle. Alan Lam almost doubled the team's lead shortly after, only for a miskick to prevent what would have been a certain goal in front of an empty net. Bishane Pak used their speed to good effect and were duly rewarded with the equaliser at the 75th minute, with practically their first shot on target. T.O, playing with only a lean 13 player squad for the second consecutive week, was burnt out by the second half and could count themselves lucky to come away with the draw. Gaffer: Title hopes slowly slipping away with our dwindling attendance Team Orange's efforts for the first half of the season looks to be going down the drain with the dismal start to 2012. Three wins and a draw out of the last seven league games played aren't looking too good for the team currently sitting at the top of the league. "The low attendances for our recent games are probably why we didn't get our desired outcome and results." the gaffer said. "I can understand that our guys have work and personal commitments, so I'll just have to appeal to everyone to show their continual support for the team." "The team is currently running on 'auto-pilot' mode. The key success for this 'self-run' model is a small effort from everyone to confirm their availability as early as possible so that we can search for backups as soon as we see that the numbers are insufficient." he added. "We hope to have a couple of additions within the next few weeks to beef up the squad and hopefully, we can finish the gruelling season in one piece." Team list: Wan (GK), Alan Toh, Hongfu, Jiayu, Junjie, John Mo, Fazlin, Richmond, Alan Lam, Wilson, Chen Loon, Khristian, David
Goalscorer: Fazlin (35') Assist: None Yellow/Red card: None  Orange SquashedBukit Timah Fields - Team Orange suffered a major setback in their quest for the championship after being trounced 5-0 by the Brits. No one was entirely sure if T.O played against the supposedly "2nd team" of the British Club, especially when the initially arranged Premiership game between ANZA Lions and British Club 1st XI at Dunearn sec was changed to a friendly game and moved to the Bukit Timah fields. But it was worth noting that a couple of the BC players "switched" teams in the 2nd half. Nevertheless, it was a dismal performance by Team Orange, who showed no signs of a team that is leading the Qualifying division. Unlike previous games where last minute additions would boost the number to at least 16 players, only 13 turned up for the game and this included the unfit gaffer who had to remove the spider webs in his boots prior to taking to the field. The initial tactic to be adopted was relatively simple. 4-5-1 formation and pressure the opponents only from the half way line. Obviously, the tactics were not strictly adhered, with majority of the team over-estimating their collective abilities. Passes went wayward and speculative passes were made all over the field. Klevyn came close to opening the scoring, hitting the crossbar just after the fifth minute mark. Thereafter, it was all British Club dominance, as T.O crumbled like the Berlin wall. The centerback pairing of Junjie and Hongfu could only hold back the Brits attack until the 10th minute. By the 16th minute, British Club were already in a comfortable 2-0 lead. The 3rd and 4th goal should have been disallowed for offside and by half time, it was 5-0. It could so easily have been 8-0 if not for last ditched saves by Hongfu and Wan.  Prior to the start of the 2nd half, several Brits were overhead discussing about bringing the scoreline into double digits. Fortunately their plan did not materialise. Fadley was switched to the centerback position and added the much needed steel in defence. It worked to good effect as T.O managed to hold off their opponents and prevent them from scoring. T.O was playing better soccer in the 2nd half and could have pulled a goal back if not for some inexperienced play. Tingfu had beaten the keeper and sent his shot straight at an open goal, only for an overly anxious Klevyn to tap the ball into the net while in an offside position. T.O was left to rue for the missed opportunity. No further breaches in defence as British Club 2nd emerged deserving winners. Team performance: Team Orange Man-of-the-match: Richmond (Fadley came close with an assuring 2nd half performance but Richmond edged out with an overall consistent showing throughout the game)
Team list: Wan (GK), Alan Toh, Hongfu, Junjie, Kelvin Ke, Fadley, Tingfu, Alan Lam (capt), Richmond, Fairuz, Klevyn, Hamzah
Goalscorer: None Assist: None Yellow/Red card: None  Team Orange clinches hard fought win
Juying sec - Team Orange secured an important win over their long time nemesis Club M in a tight encounter which almost ended with both teams sharing the spoils. Jierui's fingertip save at the stroke of full time ensured Oranje left the pitch with a well deserved three points in the bag. With Oranje's nearest rivals Hibernians Legends and Avengers not scheduled to play during the weekend, the lead at the top has been extended to seven points.
The venue of this encounter was at the faraway end of Jurong. Despite its obscure location, both teams were greeted with a good condition and good sized playing field. Punctuality has never been a trait of T.O and by kickoff, the team barely had eleven players to start the game. Bryan Ong stood in as keeper and in the process, joined the likes of Teck Boon and Fadley as the only handful of players in the team who has played in all positions on the field. Bryan was commanding in keeping the goal, prompting the gaffer to consider him as a possible replacement for Wan and Jierui.
T.O had a good momentum going in the first half, stringing simple but intelligent passes. Debutant Fairuz impressed immediately with his sound technical abilities and speed on the wings. It was only a matter of time before T.O broke the deadlock and as early as the eight minute, Steven Bock latched onto Alan's pass to score his first ever goal for Team Orange.
The multiple substitutions at the halfway mark of the first half unsettled T.O's momentum allowing Club M to equalise. The first half ended 1-1 in a relative incident free span of forty minutes.
 The second half was an exciting affair as both teams went for the kill. T.O had a glorious opportunity to go 2-1 up within minutes of the restart but winger Fairuz spurned the one-on-one opportunity when it looked almost a certain goal for the team.
Club M were winning more challenges in the center of the park and for long periods, put pressure on the T.O backline. T.O was lucky to escape unscathed at the 58th minute, after Hongfu's rare mistake presented the Club M striker an open goal to shoot at, only to see the shot smashed onto the upright.
T.O stepped up a gear and was rewarded with a penalty when Alan Lam went down after a challenge in the six-yard box. Alan confidently converted the spotkick, sending his shot into the top right hand corner of the goal.
Club M continued to pile on the pressure and almost got away with a hard earned point. A last ditched effort from the Club M midfielder looked destined for goal until Jierui intercepted the shot with a top class save, tipping it onto the crossbar before Jiayu ensured full safety with the resulting clearance. Amidst dangers of a lightning storm, the referee ended the game three minutes early as Team Orange celebrated another win and secured another three points to cement it's position on the top of the league.
Team performance: Team Orange Man-of-the-match: John Mo (Uncompromising in his challenges and a rock in defence)
Team list: Bryan Ong (GK-1st half), Fadley (GK-2nd half), Jierui (GK-2nd half), Chen Guan (capt), John Mo, Jiayu, Junjie, Hongfu, Richmond, Steven Bock, Hamzah, Fairuz, Wilson, Wenjie, Alan Lam, Sufian
Goalscorers: Steven Bock (8'), Alan Lam (pen 65') Assist: Alan Lam Yellow/Red card: None  Team Orange opens up 4 point lead at the top
Commonwealth pitch - It was a game which saw first placed team in the Qualifying Division Team Orange, pitting against bottom placed Rome Eleven. Despite the apparent gap between the two sides in the league standings, the end-to-end action on the pitch did not suggest any form of supremacy or advantage which T.O had expected to have over their opponents. Instead, it was Rome Eleven who brought the game to Team Orange. Team Orange could be forgiven for an overall lacklustre display after coming back from an extended three weeks break due to the Lunar New Year festive period. The team also received information that stalwart Fazlin would be transferring to Bracelona for a club record fee of 83 cents, coupled by news that he would be out of action for at least 4 weeks due to a calf injury, the gaffer had to call upon backups in the form of former under-18 nationals Darren Lee and Brian Toh. The rustiness in the T.O camp was evident, judging by the numerous wayward passes. Chances at both ends were aplenty as both teams missed gilt-edged chances to break the deadlock. Eventually, it took newlywed Fadley to put T.O in the driving seat, with a well executed shot at an acute angle. T.O had further opportunities to kill off the game but were let down by poor finishing in front of goal. The solitary goal was enough for Team Orange to overcome the stiff resistance by Rome Eleven and with results of the other league games going in T.O's favour ( Hibernians Legends 0 vs United Allianz 0 and British Club 2nd XI 4 vs Olympique Gaulois 1 ), the lead at the top of the table has opened up to 4 points. Team Orange will look to extend the lead over their nearest rivals but will have to overcome tough oppositions and long time nemesis in the form of Club M at Juying secondary next Saturday.
Team performance: 1/2 Team Orange Man-of-the-match: Fadley (No signs of the usual hotheadedness. Instead, it was the levelheadedness which allowed him to score the match winning goal for the team)
Team list: Wan (GK), Fadley, Junjie, Chen Guan (capt), Yus, Teck Boon, Jianhui, Jiayu, Saiful, Khristian, Fhadil, Darren, Brian Toh, John Mo, Hamzah, Bryan Ong, Alan Lam, Klevyn
Goalscorer: Fadley (69') Assist: Klevyn Yellow card: Fhadil Red card: -  Oranje nicked it at the deathBendemeer sec - Team Orange had to come back from going down twice during the game to score a dramatic last minute winner, putting a stop to a losing streak which had plagued the team in recent weeks.
Yus equalised for T.O in the 53rd minute, pouncing on a loose ball after Klevyn's powerful shot from the right was parried by the keeper. Newton Heath regained the lead within minutes after John's clearance hit his own player and bounced nicely at the feet of a Newton Heath player, who thanked his lucky stars before putting a shot past into the back of the net.
T.O showed sheer determination to pull the score level, with Richmond doing brilliantly to beat the defenders and to drill in a shot from outside the penalty box. Newton Heath had chances to regain their lead but the ever alert Wan was on hand to deny them on several occasions.
Despite Newton Heath's dominance throughout the whole game, it was Oranje who had the last laugh. With practically the last action of the game, Alan Lam threw T.O into a shocking lead after his intended cross sailed over the keeper's head and landed into goal.
Newton Heath certainly felt hard done by their lapse in concentration. On the other hand, Team Orange celebrated jubilantly and with the 3 points in the bag, the team moved to the top of the table.
From footballopod: Current leaders Team Orange kept the pressure and scored a late winner against Newton Heath at Bendemeer Secondary School. Veteran Alan Lam was there to score the 90th minute winner to ensure the three points for the Orange. Team performance: Man-of-the-match: Alan Lam (We know we can count on him to deliver the full three points for the team)
Team list: Wan (GK), Chen Guan (capt), Lian Hua, Jiayu, Khristian, John Mo, Richmond, Junjie, Alan Lam, Chen Loon, Hamzah, Klevyn, Dino, Jason Ong, Hisyamuddin, Yus, Teck Boon, Wenjie
Goalscorers: Yus (53'), Richmond (70'), Alan Lam (90') Assist: - Yellow/Red card: -  Rest of the World team prevails
Marsiling sec - A hot and sunny afternoon saw two teams battling out for bragging rights at the Quarterly Challenge Cup contest. Richmond gave the ROTW team a 10th minute lead after single handedly out-pacing the defence before putting the ball past the keeper. Chen Loon doubled the lead for ROTW after charging down at Ben's kick and scoring into an open goal.
Junjie gave the ROTW an unassailable 3-0 lead in the second half before the MUFC team staged a comeback with goals from Fadley and Alan Lam to pull the scoreline to 3-2. Wenjie ensured that victory stayed with ROTW by scoring the 4th and final goal for the team in white.
 ROTW team: Jierui (GK), Alan Toh, David, Teck Boon, Remie, Steven Bock, John Mo, Hamzah, Junjie, Richmond, Wenjie, Chen Loon, Billy Goh
Goalscorers (ROTW): Richmond, Chen Loon, Junjie, Wenjie
 MUFC team: Ben Lin (GK), Wan, Kelvin Ke, Ben Ong, Chen Guan, Chris Tan, Winsten, Kenenth, Jiayu, Yong Keng, Fadley, Gregory Ong, Treddy, Guanhong, Alan Lam
Goalscorers (MUFC): Fadley, Alan Lam  Team Orange succumbs to second straight league defeat
Queenstown sec - Team Orange got off to the worst possible start in 2012 with a disappointing 0-3 loss to fellow QD combatants J-Heat. It was T.O's second straight league defeat and third consecutive loss on the road, spelling talks of a downward spiral for the team in green. Recent turnout for games have been poor. After a mad scramble for players, only 14 were able to turn up, as compared to the usual 16-18 players who would normally throng down to the pitches. At the 28th minute, against the run of play, J-Heat took the lead after the opposing winger pounced on T.O's failure to clear the ball, unleashing a powerful shot into goal. As the game wore on, chances for T.O were few and far between and the initiative was handed to J-Heat, whose hard pressing caused T.O to make unnecessary mistakes. With limited substitutes on the bench, the tired legs in the T.O camp started to show. Defensive errors allowed J-Heat to score another two goals in the second half without any reply. It could so easily been 4-0 if not for Chen Guan's last ditch clearance at the goal line. T.O was clearly lacking creativity in midfield, coupled by the numerous misplaced passes, it never looked like T.O was ever going to stage any form of a comeback. If Team Orange are to reinstate themselves as title contenders, they will have to do much better than the showing today.  Team performance: Man-of-the-match: Lian Hua (The kind of player who need to spur the team on when the tide turns against us)
Team list: Wan (GK), Alan Toh, David, Chen Guan (capt), Lian Hua, Jiayu, Khristian, John Mo, Richmond, Junjie, Steven Bock, Alan Lam, Chen Loon, Hamzah
Goalscorer: - Assist: - Yellow/Red card: -  Team Orange's 2011: A Year In Review
Oranje news: As Team Orange embrace 2012 with high hopes and anticipation, let us look back on an eventful year where the team has undergone a transformation from a social footballing unit to serious title contenders.
Jan-Mar 2011: T.O started the year on a high with a convincing 4-0 victory in a friendly game but was unable to carry on the momentum as they crashed out of the 2nd round EFL Cup, losing both legs to long time nemesis Club M. The Orange Challenge Cup (ver 5) was successfully completed in January, with the WAGS (Wives And Girlfriends) dictating the team strategies and formations. John Mo was awarded the Player of the Year for 2010. The Towners FC players officially made their debut in Oranje colors on 27/02/11 (game vs J-Heat @ Marsiling sec).
Apr-Jun 2011: After dispatching CBD Wanderers (6-1) in a one-sided affair on the the 2nd of April 2011, the team crashed to a humiliating 2-6 defeat to British Club First XI in the subsequent game. A charity game was held in May 2011 to raise funds for the illness stricken Samantha Koh. Generous donations poured in and a total of $2,283 was raised from the match. Team Orange also announced a Kit sponsorship deal with Jason Ong's Onhock Provision Company. In the first two games donning the new kit, the team tasted two straight defeats (1-2 loss to Bugis Beatles and 2-3 loss to Maoist FC).
Jul-Sept 2011: In August, Team Orange officially announced the coup of youngsters Klevyn, Khristian, Hamzah, Saifee and Wenjie, who in the subsequent months blended in well with the senior players and became an integral part of the T.O setup. The team registered their biggest victory in their short five year history after trouncing NUFCSG 14-3 in a friendly encounter at Ping Yi sec. In September, the Gaffer dropped a bombshell by " relegating" the team to the Qualifying Division.
Oct-Dec 2011: Team Orange's first game in the 2nd tier EFL competition ended in a hard fought 2-2 draw with CBD Wanderers. The team subsequently went on an amazing run of 10 games without defeat before finally succumbing 2-3 to Vipers AS team on 11th December 2011. In October, the 7th version of the Orange Challenge Cup was successfully held at First Toa Payoh sec. Total competitive matches played in 2011: 38 (excluding Challenge Cup games) Total Wins: 22 Total Draws: 4 Total Losses: 12 Goals scored: 131 Goals scored: 92 A big thank you to all who have turned up for the games and/or have shown support one way or another during the past year. Hope that we will continue to see a high level of commitment and interest from everyone. Let's set our sights on the EFL Qualifying Division crown and look forward to an exciting 2012. For another successful year, HUAAAT AH!!!!
 A poor start to 2012St Wilfrid - Team Orange succumbed to yet another devastating loss at St Wilfrid, losing to D2D Division 1 title contenders Nitro FC. Playing at a venue where the team had been on the receiving end of several heavy defeats (1-5 loss to Babylon United on 26/10/11 and 0-8 loss to Siglap CSC on 24/01/10), coupled with the unavailability of several key players, it was always going to be an uphill task against the more illustrious opponents. Nitro FC raced into a 3-0 lead at half-time, aided by some goalkeeping calamity from the T.O custodian. The second half was no better as the tired legs in the T.O defence could not keep up with the pace meted out by the Nitro players. Scoring another 4 goals in a span of ten minutes, Nitro emerged convincing winners with the 7-0 scoreline. However, all hope is not lost as Team Orange would want to quickly erase this episode and psyche themselves up for next week's league game against J-Heat at Queenstown sec (08/01/12 5pm kickoff). For Nitro FC's match, please go to this LINK. Team performance: 1/2 Man-of-the-match: Klevyn (Although did not get on the score-sheet, Klevyn was evidently the most energetic player on the field. Looking good for another bountiful year)
Team list: Kelvin Ke (GK-1st half), David (GK-2nd half), Daniel, Ipi, John Mo, Khristian, Wenjie, Hamzah, Fazlin (capt), Junjie, Bryan Ong, Klevyn, Dinho, Boon Teck
Fly aeroplane: Sufian, Saiful
Goalscorer: - Assist: - Yellow/Red card: -  Fairplay Award
The award is in recognition of players for the good and sporting behaviour both on and off the pitch during the year. As importantly, it hinges on three important qualities, "Respect your opponents", "Respect the referee" and "Respect your team-mates". Well done to the following eight nominees for this category. The voting committee will come together to decide on the ultimate winner by 14th Jan 2012.
Nominees:
1) Khristian
2) Chen Loon
3) Hongfu
4) Billy Goh
5) Alan Toh
6) Guanhong
7) Ben Lin
8) Wan
 Best New Signing
One of the more highly regarded and eagerly anticipated award with a total of eleven nominees in this category. Awards (Gold & Silver) will be given out to two deserving winners, whom will be specially handpicked by the voting committee.
The nominees are:
1) Klevyn Stats: 18 appearances, 17 goals, 1 assist, 2 MOTM 2) Khristian Stats: 17 appearances, 5 goals, 1 assist, 2 MOTM 3) Wenjie Stats: 18 appearances, 4 goals, 2 assists, 1 MOTM 4) David Stats: 24 appearances, 1 assist 5) Safiee Stats: 9 appearances, 1 goal, 1 MOTM 6) Hamzah Stats: 18 appearances, 4 goals, 8 assists, 1 MOTM 7) Steven Bock Stats: 5 appearances 8) Wan Stats: 20 appearances, 1 assist, 1 MOTM 9) Saiful Stats: 6 appearances 10) Yus Stats: 20 appearances, 4 goals, 5 assists, 2 MOTM
11) Sanjay Stats: 16 appearances, 5 goals, 3 assists
 Most Committed Player
Special recognition to the five players (Alan Lam, Jiayu, John Mo, Junjie & Teck Boon) who have clocked at least 75% of the total games played in 2011. Although only one player (the highest number of games) will walk away with the award, the gaffer would like to personally thank all five for the high level of commitment shown in 2011. Keep up the energy!
 1) John Mo Past accolades: Player of the Year (2010), WAGS Player of the Year (2010), Player of the Quarter (Jan-Mar'10) Certainly one of the favourites to retain his crown for 2011. Undoubtedly one of the most hard-tackling and hardworking players in the team, his presence on the field has added steel both in defence and in midfield.
2) Fazlin Past accolades: Player of the Quarter (Apr-Jun'11) A relatively low-key figure in the amateur soccer scene until this year when his appearances in the EFL games have caught the attention of many in the local arena. With an impressive strike rate of 1 goal in every 2 games (Total 10 goals in 20 games), Fazlin has popped up important goals which has enabled the team to stay close to the leaders in the EFL league. His increased commitment in 2011 has definitely boosted the team's chances for EFL glory for this season.
3) Alan Lam Past accolades: Golden Boot (2010), Most Committed Player (2010), Player of the Quarter (Apr-Jun'10) Has been officially considered a "veteran" in the team after having clocked his 100th game during the year. A fruitful year with 13 goals under his belt, bettering his goal haul of 12 goals for 2010. The team has definitely benefitted from his experience and presence on the field over the past year and will be looking to his relentless energy to overcome the obstacles in the coming year.
4) Wan Past accolades: None One of the two new joiners who have deservedly earned a nomination in this category for his undying passion to football and immense commitment to the team. Despite having undergone an operation to his finger barely three months back, Wan's eagerness to get back on the pitch has seen him made a miraculous recovery to put on his gloves. Undoubtedly one of the safest pair of hands who have donned the team's colors and will be integral to the team's quest for gold for 2012.
5) Klevyn Past accolades: Player of the Quarter (Jul-Sept'11) The youngest player nominated for this year's Player of the year category and is also the second youngest players (at the age of 21) in the Team's history to have been nominated for this award (Khairul holds the record in 2009 at the age 20). Despite his young age, Klevyn has showed that he can beat anyone including the more experienced and bigger built opponents. His prowess in front of goal has seen him garnered this year's Golden Boot award, having scored 17 goals in 18 games. If Klevyn is able to carry on this feat in the coming year, the team may just be able to achieve that elusive championship medal.
6) Junjie Past accolades: Most Improved Player (2009), Player of the Quarter (Jan-Mar'11) Hard to imagine at the age of 25, Junjie is now considered a "veteran" in the team, having surpassed the 100th game mark . One of the most versatile and technically gifted player in the team, he has excelled in whatever positions he has been asked to fill in. Despite playing in the back line for a sustained period in 2011, Junjie has shown that he still has the ability to spring up the goals when needed, evident from his impressive goal haul of 12 goals for the year. A strong contender for this award and will give the rest a run for their money.
Voting can now be done at this LINK. Voting period: 25-12-11 to 04-01-12 | |
