DBFC 1 – 0 KCC Monarchs
Kings Park Pitch No. 3
6th March 2023
Kick-off 21:00
Squad: Travis, Wai Man, Tita (Captain), Nin, Nik, San, Ah Lik, Ah Kwan (Shung). Crommy, Tong, Sammy, Morse and Magic Mike.
Scorer: Tita
This fixture was an epic, at least all the way up until kick off. Coach Gazza battled against the odds to put together a line up; spreading feelers across Hong Kong and beyond in his ever expanding football network. Fighting the forces of Monday night football (Crommy – ‘Playing on Monday nights does nobody any favours’) and the ever extending DBFC injury list, Gazza finally got the squad required. If Gazza’s bridge-building business ever goes bust, there’s a chance for him to moonlight as the next Jorge Mendes.
This week, it was San who came good, calling in friends Wai Man, Ah Lik and Ah Kwan (registered as Shung but known as Kwan – Gazza is still waiting for a logical explanation to that one) and it was San, Lik and Kwan that formed a powerful midfield three, who pulled the strings in the first half behind the smart movement of Crommy, Tong and Sammy, even despite the Sammy’s hope to avoid running that evening following a tough game he had on Sunday.
The match itslef was a near carbon copy of the previous week’s against BTDT. DBFC again had almost complete control of territory and possession in the first half but struggled to find the net. Crosses too close to KCC’s very capable keeper, corners not quite falling right and Sammy either perfrectly placing the ball just wide of the post or having is accurate shots with pace being kept out by the keeper. Travis did jokingly check with Sammy at half-time as to whether he had ever just considered putting the ball in the net?
Travis, himself, finally got the chance to show that he doesn’t just talk a good game. After three fixtures where he has barely had a save to make, he needed to be switched on for KCC’s effective tactic of defending compactly and when they got possession, sending the ball long to their able striker to chase down. It was from one of these lone balls that Travis’s metal was tested in completing a vital 1-on-1 stop midway through the first half when Tita unusually miscontrolled the long ball from KCC and see the KCC striker burst through. Travis had a lot more to do when DBFC were under pressure in the second half.
It was Tita who had given us the lead towards the end of the first half after one of many corners was only half cleared. Tita’s left foot volley through a crowd of bodies took a slight deflection that took it away from the diving keeper’s hands.
Chances continued to come for DBFC Vets in the second half but the KCC keeper again proved equal to them. Assistant Coach and trainee photographer Riggers was apoplectic when Crommy was crudely taken out by the last man on the edge and inside the box but the referee, apparently, warranted only a free kick despite his assistant referee 5 yards away indicating differently. Crommy got up and took the free kick; a splendid curl to pin-point accuracy for the top corner that once again saw the KCC keeper complete the save with a full stretch dive to keep out by his finger tips
DBFC kept the lead to the end in an another, largely professional display, keeping them in the hunt for the Legend’s League title, though will need to be more clinical in the next game versus HKFC.
Reporter: Nik
