NYP come from behind to win IVP floorball title

Story and pictures by Leslie Tan

Andrew Yong of NYP holds his stick up high in jubilation after scoring the golden goal in overtime while RP’s captain doubles up in frustration at letting NYP come back from 2-5 down. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

Ngee Ann Polytechnic Multi-Purpose Hall, Friday, January 18, 2007 – Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) came back from 2-5 down with less than two minutes to go to stun Republic Polytechnic 6-5 in overtime in a thrilling, heart-stopping IVP Floorball Championship Final last week.

The match exploded into life within the first two minutes when Zilkarnian of NYP scored but RP replied almost immediately through Oswin. There was more to come. NYP wasted a power play opportunity and RP made them pay when they went ahead 2-1 deeper into the first period. However, NYP equalised through Hanief who put the ball away with a slap shot from the left flank that should have been saved to even things up at 2-2.

When play resumed in the second period, a blatant kick by Jatin Nair (#16) saw him draw a 5-minute roughing penalty but try as they might, RP could not make the man-advantage count with a goal.

With 3:48 left on the clock, RP finally broke through when Abdul Hadi scored from a loose ball after the keeper failed to control it, leading to a heated protest by the NYP players. The goal stung NYP into a barrage of attacks but RP held them off.

Trailing 2-3, NYP hopes went up when when Abdul Hadi of RP got himself sent off for a 2-minute penalty. However, they came up against a determined RP defence and could not score. RP then dealt NYP a morale-deflating blow when Afzal scored unassisted to make it 4-2. To further deepen NYP’s misery, Oswin then scored a penalty to make it 5-2 and it seemed all over for NYP.

Then the comeback began with 1:40 to go.

Chan Yong Kwang (#5) of NYP got a 5-minute high-sticking penalty. Playing with one man less, NYP scored through Jatin (#16) to make it 3-5. Straight from the restart, NYP scored again through Harvinder Singh (#84) to make it 4-5 before anyone had even time to catch their breath and figure out what had happened – NYP had scored two goals in less than 20 seconds while one man down.

NYP were now smelling blood but then things seemed bleak when Prom (#17) got a 2-minute slashing penalty. But for the third time in a row, NYP scored while a man down through Andrew Yong (#8) to draw level with 29 seconds to go on the clock.

It was 5-5, the game was into overtime, and NYP had come back from the dead. Incredible.

With momentum on their side and RP shell-shocked, it was no surprise when NYP finished them off within 5 minutes of overtime when Andrew Yong scored the golden goal with a shot from the right flank to empty out the NYP bench in wild celebration while some of the RP players slumped to the floor in dejection.

“We’re surprised we won,” said Jenmark Sorreda, captain of the NYP team. “Maybe RP let their guard down.”

NYP beat SIM, SP, NP but lost to NTU in the group stage. In the semi-final, they overcame NUS to earn their place in the final while RP beat NTU in the other semi-final.

NYP team roster:

Farouk (#1)
Herman Bin Mansor (#3)
Chan Yong Kwang (#5)
Stanley Goh (#7)
Andrew Yong (#8)
Tay Joo Tat (#9)
Jonathan Ng (#10)
Zilkarnian (#11)
Lee Boon Bin (#12)
Faisal (#13)
Jatin Nair (#16)
Prom Monisopal (#17)
Hanief (#18)
Shahidan (#19)
Jenmark Sorreda (#21) (capt)
Sivalingan Johnson (#22)
Syed Jamaludin (#24)
Shaiful (#29)
Azhar (#72)
Firdaus Zahran (#87)
Adil (#88)
Harvinder Singh (#84)
Fayyadz (#89)

RP team roster:

Ahmad Kamil (#3)
Vernon Ng (#4)
Attar Shaheed (#5)
Yusoff (#8)
Abdul Hadi (#9)
Elyas (#11)
Oswin Suriya Rosayro (#12)
Tan Boon Chun (#16)
Yeo Zheng Guang (#13)
Guhen Markandran (#14)
Sean Huang (#17)
Firdaus (#23)
Mckenrick Lim (#26)
Hisyam (#29)
Hafiz (#33)
Syazrul (#36)
Sofian (#50)
Shamir (#66)
Hazmi (#69)
Ozalis (#80)
Mark Seow (#88)
Afzal (#90)
Khairul Faiz (#91)

Afzal (#90) of RP gets mobbed by his teammate after scoring the goal that put his team 4-2 up. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

Supporters of RP cheer their team on. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

Goalie Adil of NYP hangs on tight to the ball while Yusoff (#8) of RP waits for a loose ball. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)(

Harvinder Singh (in white) of NYP lets fly at the RP goalie, Elyas. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

Adil of RP sees the ball go past him. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

The NYP team celebrate their victory after overtime. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)

Mark Seow of RP lies dejected on the floor while a teammate consoles him. (Photo © Leslie Tan/Red Sports)