Mavericks Maintain Unbeaten Run

Date: 22 March 2008

Location: Broadrick Sec
Kick-off: 3pm
Opponents: The Blue team (but they wore orange!)

Starting line-up: Alex, Chris, Clement, Faizy , Jiun Wei, Chao Xing, Chung Wei, Boon Leng, Calvin, Wei Jie, Jerome Boon Kee
Substitutes: Midzi (Guest Player), Amir

FT score: 1-1 (HT score: 0-1)
Goals: Amir ('62)
Assists: -
MOM: Faizy


Mavericks FC ground out a 1-1 draw at the Stade de Broadrick and extended their unbeaten run to an impressive 8 games on Saturday. The Outsiders were up against a technically-gifted outfit Blue FC who surprisingly came out of the dugout wearing their away orange strip.

The men in black were missing several key players such as star playmaker Kee Siang and centre-back Chuan Ji and looked set to miss flamboyant left winger Amir as well. However, they were boosted after the winger managed to pass a late fitness test and made it on the bench. Midfield maestro Boon Leng made a return to the starting line-up as loan signing Midzi was set for his debut.

The Blue team took the match by storm, and after countless waves of pressure in the opening exchanges, they got a goal they deserved as their captain rode challenges in the middle before unleashing a rocket into the top corner of the net.
0-1.

It proved to be a wake-up call for the Outsiders, and they nearly got a goal from a great corner from Chung Wei which Midzi headed it in brilliantly, only to see it clip the bar and go over. Jerome Boon Kee had a shot that went inches wide into the side-netting. A Mavericks counter-attack saw Amir waltzing his way past 3 players before squaring it from the left, only to see there was no one arriving quick enough to apply the finish with the keeper beaten.

The Blue team had several shots saved superbly by custodian Alex as well as some solid last-ditch defending from the Mavericks back four thwarting their attacks, namely Faizy who marshalled the defence superbly.
HT: 0-1.

The second half saw a dangerous Mavericks side who always looked threatening on the counter-attack. The impressive Chris was dominant, effectively shutting out attacks from the right and Jiun Wei was winning headers in defence. After a good period of possession in the opponent's half, the Mavericks got a deserved equalizer. Amir intercepted a pass, and cut in from the left with pace, before placing it past the keeper to make things square again. 1-1.

It could have been 2-1 in a matter of minutes but the winger was left ruing his chance this time. Chung Wei had initiated a counter-attack by winning the ball in midfield before Boon Leng threaded in an inch-perfect diagonal ball over the top to Amir on the left who raced towards goal, only to see his left-footed shot go agonizingly wide. The Outsiders gained some great attacking momentum, with captain Chao Xing switching to striker midway through the second half. Midzi was threatening in attack as well, nearly getting his name on the scoresheet on two occasions.

The Maverick's goal was under threat as the Blue team nearly scored, if not for the brilliant reflexes of keeper Alex, from a Jiun Wei mis-kicked clearance which was going in until Alex got a hand to it. That made a few hearts skipped a beat. Haha.

It could have gone the way the Outsiders wanted, as they increasingly got a stranglehold of the match, however, with ten minutes left on the clock, the referee ended the match as thunderstorms and heavy rain showered over the pitch, making play almost impossible. Protests were made by the Stade de Broadrick faithful, but the referee nevertheless blew the final whistle.

Final Score: 1-1.