Bangkok Casuals Football League
Pattaya City FC played the league leading Titans at home last weekend and City had the good news that their opponent’s top goal scoring forward was not available at the start. The match was in doubt due to the downpour just before the game but the referee decided that the pitch was good enough to play on.
The Titans started with just ten players but they still took the game to City whose keeper Yongul was soon called into action and made a good save when the Titans broke through the City offside trap.
After fifteen minutes the Titans were brought up to full strength when one of their players arrived late but now it was City’s turn to attack and the Titans keeper had to bring off a smart save to stop Emery’s goal bound curling shot from entering the net.
Chances were being created at both ends of the field; first Dipta wasted a glorious opportunity to give Pattaya the lead but he somehow put his shot high and wide with just the keeper to beat. At the other end, City’s keeper was kept busy in the minutes leading up to half time and had to pull off several fine saves to keep the game goalless at the break.
Yongul was back in the action as the second half got underway and his string of brilliant saves kept Titans from taking the lead. Against the run of play, Pattaya went up the other end of the pitch and made the breakthrough in the 64th minute when a mistake by the Titans’ keeper allowed Jansen to slot the ball home.
The Titians put more pressure on the City goal and won a succession of corners, the last of which finally saw the City keeper beaten as Titan forward Hopkins headed home from close range to make it 1-1. Yongul was kept busy till the end of the game and had to produce more flying saves, but City held out for a well deserved and hard fought point.
The officials for this match were excellent and used their common sense in testing conditions for the players. Pattaya City have no game this coming weekend and will be at home next week in the Cup.
