MBMG Bangkok International League Division 2
After the previous week’s humiliating defeat at the hands of the Scandinavian Vikings, FC Nova were in desperate need of getting their title charge back on track when they took on third place Sportsman in Bangkok last Saturday.
In the end the two teams fought out a 1-1 draw which considering all of Nova’s problems was a satisfactory result. The point now means Nova can only be caught by the Vikings or BSL Youth. Five points from their remaining 3 games will secure the title while 3 points will confirm promotion.
The week leading up to this game had certainly been eventful for coach Stuart Levy and his backroom staff. Already hampered by injuries and unavailability, the league leaders suffered further misery when full back Mark Hill pulled out through a damaged ankle and then Levy’s worst fears were confirmed when influential captain Lee Homer failed a late fitness test.
FC Nova line up before their match against Sportsman FC in Bangkok last Saturday.
If things could not get any worse, stalwart defender Dave Booton, who was due to play his last game before flying home to England on the Sunday mislaid his passport, so spent most of the afternoon frantically searching his condo. Needless to say it eventually turned up but not before his team mates had long set off for Bangkok!
Coach Levy had spent the majority of the week scouting for local talent in the five-a-side leagues and must take huge credit for getting enough players signed on to enable him to assemble a team for this key fixture.
Nova had comfortably defeated their counterparts in Pattaya early on in the season but this game was never going to be easy for them, considering the number of changes made to their starting line-up, which included an entirely new look back four.
The game itself was an evenly contested affair, with the opening exchanges seeing both sides struggle to get any real grip of the game. The home side created a couple of half chances early on without really testing Art in the Nova goal.
Eventually Levy’s new look side settled with their midfield lynchpins Roger Cox and the dynamic Mark Mckeown beginning to pull the strings. They were unlucky not to take the lead when a rasping free kick from Cox rattled the home side’s crossbar. So it was somewhat against the run of play that the Sportsman took the lead.
Full back Andrew Robinson looked to have played the ball off an opposing player for a Nova throw in, but as the player went to gather the ball the linesman wrongly signaled for a Sportsman throw in. A quick throw resulted in Robinson getting caught out of position allowing the Sportsman player to cut down the line before squaring the ball to his strike partner to fire past Art in the Nova goal.
After the woes of last week Nova were determined not to let the goal deflate them and they soon took the game to the home side. With five minutes remaining in the half they deservedly restored parity.
A sweeping passing move down the right saw the ball arrive to the feet of Bjorn Ellingsen who cleverly lost his marker before squaring the ball to the onrushing Mckeown who placed his shot low hard into bottom right hand corner of the net. It was a beautifully worked goal and came as a timely boost to Nova on the stroke of half time.
After a rousing team talk from Levy at half time he sent his new look outfit out for the second half in confident fashion.
They certainly did not let their manager down with a competent second half display, all that was missing was the vital goal.
All three of his new signings were contributing towards an assured second half performance. At the back Jed was winning his aerial battle with his Sportsman counterpart, whereas 17 year old Am down the right hand flank was causing the hosts constant headaches with his searing pace, linking up well with another new boy Lee Turner.
It looked as though the goal was coming and so it seemed when Ellingsen rose well at the far post to head home a Paul Derbyshire cross. As Nova celebrated, the Thai referee, whose officiating all afternoon had been sub-standard to say the least, ruled the goal out. There had been no complaints from the Sportsman to the goal and it remained a mystery as to why it had been disallowed.
Undeterred Nova continued to press in search of the winner and Ellingsen was unlucky to see his snap shot hit the upright. In the dying moments of the game Turner could have won it for Nova, but his drilled effort from the edge of the area brought a fine save from the Sportsman keeper.
Soon after the final whistle blew and all in all coach Levy can be proud of his team’s performance and his patched up side can count themselves unlucky not to have got all 3 points from this game.
Particular praise must go to 43 year old Nicholas Creasey who worked tirelessly upfront as well as his strike partner Ellingsen, who despite suffering from flu worked his socks off for his team. Andrew Robinson who could best be described as having a stinker the previous week put in an assured display covering for the passport searching Booton at left back.
On a sour note their fine keeper Art suffered a seizure after the game and was rushed to hospital. The team’s thoughts are with him on a speedy recovery. Early reports suggest he has been advised to retire from playing football. It will be a big blow for Nova as he has proved to be one of the best shot stoppers in the league.
This coming weekend Nova travel to Bangkok for a crucial clash against Bangkok Storm. What was encouraging for Levy was the performance of all of the new lads against the Sportsman. He will hopefully have Captain Lee Homer, Mark Hill, Dar and midfielder Stuart Cowie all back for the match. If so he should have a reasonably strong squad available at his disposal, with the second choice keeper Swedish Jesper replacing Art in the Nova goal.
