Thai Premier League 2011/12 Season
Pattaya United left it late last Saturday to grab all three points against a spirited Army United in the Dolphins’ penultimate match of the current league campaign.
United fans were kept waiting until the final minute of injury time before Patipon Petwiset nodded the ball past a helpless Army keeper to consolidate Pattaya’s hold on fifth spot in the table.
Pattaya found it difficult to find any cohesion in the match and the first half went by without them posing a single serious attempt on the visitors’ goal, while Army looked good in possession but lacked a cutting edge up front.
Pattaya United’s O.J. Obatola (right) carries the ball downfield against Army United at the Nongprue Stadium, Pattaya, Saturday, Dec. 24. (Photo/Martin Bilsborrow)
The Dolphins rang the changes at half time and introduced Kritsana Taiwan in place of the ineffective Theerawekin Sihawong. The pattern of the game was much the same as the first period however and the home side were made to breathe a mighty sigh of relief when Army’s Kraisorn Sriyan burst through the Pattaya defence late on but saw his low shot rebound off the foot of the post into the grateful arms of Pattaya keeper Narit.
It was a tough blow for the visitors but they were made to pay for the their missed chances when Pattaya broke forward in the second minute of injury time and Ludovick fed the ball into the area where Petwiset was first to react and head the ball through the hands of the goalkeeper to steal victory at the death.
United can count themselves fortunate to have garnered a win from what was for them a rather lackluster performance, but the three points means that they cannot now be overtaken by sixth placed BEC Tero while Osotspa and Police United need to win both their games in hand to have any chance of overhauling the Dolphins.
United fans watch the action from the club’s new main stand at the Nongprue Stadium. (Photo/Martin Bilsborrow)
United’s final fixture of the season will take place on Saturday, January 7 at the Nongprue Stadium in Pattaya against Muang Thong United. Kick-off at 6 p.m.
Muang Thong lost ground in the chase for second place in the league after they went down 2-1 at home against league rivals Chonburi FC. At the opposite end of the table, Sriracha look almost certainly doomed for the drop while Siam Navy will give themselves a good chance of avoiding relegation if they can win their final two games of the season.
Thai Premier League Standings Dec. 25
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts. |
| 1 | Buriram PEA | 32 | 25 | 6 | 1 | 48 | 81 |
| 2 | Chonburi | 33 | 19 | 9 | 5 | 29 | 66 |
| 3 | Muang Thong United | 31 | 17 | 8 | 6 | 24 | 59 |
| 4 | Bangkok Glass | 32 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 50 |
| 5 | Pattaya United | 33 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 50 |
| 6 | BEC Tero Sasana | 33 | 13 | 6 | 14 | 5 | 45 |
| 7 | Osotspa | 31 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 44 |
| 8 | Thai Port | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | -2 | 44 |
| 9 | Police United | 31 | 11 | 10 | 10 | -1 | 43 |
| 10 | Chiangrai United | 33 | 11 | 10 | 12 | -5 | 43 |
| 11 | TTM Phichit | 32 | 11 | 7 | 14 | -14 | 40 |
| 12 | Sisaket | 32 | 9 | 12 | 11 | -3 | 39 |
| 13 | Army United | 32 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 36 |
| 14 | Siam Navy | 32 | 9 | 5 | 18 | -22 | 32 |
| 15 | Samut Songkhram | 30 | 7 | 10 | 13 | -15 | 31 |
| 16 | TOT | 31 | 9 | 3 | 19 | -28 | 30 |
| 17 | Khonkaen | 33 | 6 | 8 | 19 | -35 | 26 |
| 18 | Sriracha | 31 | 5 | 10 | 16 | -14 | 25 |
| Results: (Sat. 24/12): Thai Port 3 v 1 Police United; Pattaya United 1 v 0 Army United; Bangkok Glass 4 v 0 Khonkaen. (Sun. 25/12) Muang Thong United 1 v 2 Chonburi; Siam Navy PSTP Samut Songkhram; Osotspa 1 v 1 BEC Tero Sasana; TOT 1 v 1 Chiangrai United; Buriram PEA 2 v 1 Sisaket; TTM Phichit 2 v 2 Sriracha | |||||||
