Vipers AS. 6-5 Rampant Lions.
Scorer(s): Alvin Chan (10’, 40’, 60’)
Alvin Goh (20’, 50’)
Pek Jia Hao (70’)
Match Day News
In the battle of the bottom two teams, Vipers AS just edged Rampant Lions in a eleven-goal thriller which saw Alvin Chan score his first Vipers hattrick on his EFL debut, having not featured for the team since pre-season. Alvin Goh scored two goals against his old club to make him the joint-top scorer in Vipers AS’ current campaign, while youngster Jia Hao chipped in with a goal as well.
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Striker Alvin Goh was a two-goal hero against
his former side Rampant Lions.
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EFL: Vipers AS 3-5 Bishane Pak
EFL: Hibs 2-1 Vipers
The day started gloomy as heavy rain put the game in doubt. Vipers AS’ plan was not helped by the withdrawal of some 13 players owing to a variety of reasons. When the rain finally lightened to allow the match to kick off at 1530hours, Vipers could only field 9 players on the pitch.
Rampant Lions took little time to make their numerical advantage count by taking the lead in the fifth minute. Despite coming back from an offside position to get on to a cross, the referee held back his whistle, allowing the Rampant Lions player to run at Ewan and put it beyond his reach into the net. The Lions’ lead only lasted for 5 minutes however, as Alvin Chan put the Vipers level soon after. Receiving a square pass from Jia Hao 30 yards from goal, Alvin took one touch, and fired a rocket of a shot into the top corner.
The Lions took the lead again on 15 minutes when a loose ball was taken first time by their midfielder outside the box, and his attempted cross into the penalty area instead saw the ball agonizingly dropping over Ewan into the top left corner of the goal. Not to be disheartened, Vipers AS again equalized within minutes. From the left, Mizan rolled a short corner to Alvin Chan, who drilled a bullet cross into the box. Alvin Goh showed courage by sticking out his head to divert the ball into the net for 2-2.
Against the run of play, the Vipers took the lead in the 40th minute. Richard’s tackle saw the ball fall into Alvin Chan’s path and the midfielder took the ball and ran at the Lions defense. With nobody stepping up to close him down, Alvin Chan buried another cracker into the bottom corner of the goal.
It was a see-saw game at this point, and taking a leaf out of Vipers book, Rampant Lions equalized within a minute of the goal as the opposition player dribbled his way past a static Vipers defense and had the simplest task of side footing the ball past Ewan into the net. First half ended with the game tied at 3-3.
Vipers AS had a little extra help in the second half as another player arrived to make the number to a more respectable 10. Yet with Lions having 5 subs on the bench, it still looked highly unlikely for Vipers to get anything out of the game. The players, however, clearly had not read the script, as Vipers AS went on a whirlwind 20 minute spell.
In the 50th min, Alvin Goh turned his marker superbly to latch on to a Mizan goal kick. One on one with the keeper, he kept his cool to place the ball under the keeper and into the net. Ten minutes later, Richard read a cross well and headed the ball into Jia Hao’s path.
The youngster galloped down the left across the edge of the 12 yard box before placing the ball neatly for Alvin Chan to complete his hat trick. Jia Hao almost got free to a loose ball five minutes later, only to be called up by the referee for a foul committed against his marker, who in truth fell because he tripped over his own foot. Yet Jiahao was not to be denied in the 70th minute. Latching onto a great through ball, Jia Hao broke the offside trap and shot across the keeper into the far corner of the goal to take the Vipers 6-3 up.
The lack of numbers eventually told as Vipers tired at the end and allowed Rampant Lions to score two quick fire goals in the last 10 minutes to set up a grand finale. It was all hands on deck as the Vipers managed to hold on for their third win of the season, with Richard picking up another scar on his head from another head to head clash.
Vipers AS man-of-the-match: Alvin Chan – A marvelous hat trick and two assists for the talented player, enough said.
Line up : Ewan Lim (gk), Eddie Chow, Kaddy, Fairuz Sanib, Richard Lee, Mizan Daini, Alvin Chan, Pek Jia Hao, Guo En, Alvin Goh.