MBMG International League Div. 1 & 2
Pattaya City played joint leaders Black Swan last weekend, a team City had beaten 2-0 earlier in the season.
With City playing against the wind and the incline of the pitch against them, it just made it a bit more difficult for Pattaya, but to be fair both teams started cautiously as they struggled to get on top.
The first real chance of the game fell to City’s Ndjanna whose header into the ground took the pace off the ball and the the Swan’s keeper made an easy save. Black Swan had a couple of good chances themselves but their finishing was wild and the City keeper wasn’t troubled until a volley by TJ found the top corner of the net to put the Bangkok team 1-0 ahead.
City recovered but were finding it difficult to break down the stubborn Swan defence and when Peter Ndjanna made a darting run, beating four players in the process, he could only look on as his pass to Dipita was knocked wide of goal by the forward with only the keeper to beat.
Half time came with the Black Swan still leading 1-0.
After the break City started to put their game in order to beat the offside trap and gained a succession of corners, and from the last of these the ball was only cleared to City’s Bangkhadara whose header rocketed into the net to make it 1-1.
Pattaya were now in top gear and put the Swans defence under intense pressure. City’s Denis Matveev missed a golden opportunity to put his team ahead when presented with an open goal but he somehow managed to put the ball wide. Almost immediately a long ball from the Swans keeper gave their forward a chance for goal but luckily for City the ball hit the post and was cleared to safety.
Wave after wave of City attacks then descended on the Swans goal as Pattaya looked for a winner, but the Swans defense held firm and survived until the final whistle.
City had most of the game possession but chances were few and far between for both teams. All in all it was not a bad result for the Pattaya team as they still have a game in hand over the Swans.
Reserves side hit top form
Pattaya City reserves were also playing away last week and faced lowly Iplay. Captain David Brown had to play in goal for the first time in an over 40 year career, due to the bad accident of Denis Sevciuc who is in intensive care at Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital and everybody hopes for a quick and speedy recovery.
Brian Wilkins joined the fold to booster the defence but it was the City keeper who was brought into action first when he did well in intercepting the ball from the advancing Iplay forwards.
City piled on the pressure and some good chances were missed, with Terry Wilcox blazing over the Iplay bar before Pattaya struck through a dazzling run by Kunchuen, who beat four Iplay players before slotting the ball past the keeper to make it 1-0.
City reserves played good entertaining football and had the Iplay players chasing shadows and they went further ahead after a great though ball from Nakornmuang found Kunchuen who made no mistake to score his side’s second goal.
Iplay came back into the game but the reliable master Brown kept the goal sheet clean until the half time whistle.
After the interval Iplay came out fighting and reduced the arrears when the City defence didn’t clear their lines, and the hungry Iplay forwards pounced onto the loose ball to make it 2-1.
The City youngsters carried on at their own game pace and a superb lob by Kunchuen over the Iplay keeper’s head made the score line 3-1. Iplay retaliated and only a brilliant save by Brown kept the home team from scoring a second. Soon after, City’s Narain was put through by Nakornmuang to make it 4-1 and it was City’s match.
The Pattaya youngsters in the reserve team are progressing well, with on this occasion David Luelan being a constant thorn in Iplay’s side, but they must learn to take more of their chances in future.
