Raffles win back crown after edging out ACS(I) with extra-time penalty

By Lee Hwee Cheng

Highlights in Episode 14 of RedSportsTV.

Home Team Academy, Wednesday, May 23, 2007 – In a rather secluded corner off Old Chua Chu Kang Road, on a pitch set against a picturesque bright blue sky and a nice cool breeze, moods around the new Home Team Academy stadium were at an all-time high as the usual Raffles and Anglo-Chinese camps fought it out yet again – both on the pitch and at the gallery.

But it was the Rafflesians who culminated the highly-anticipated affair with a prideful rendition of their school song, when the boys in green-black-white pipped Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) for the crown 13-10 with a penalty kick in sudden-death extra time.

It was all defense, scrummages and penalties in the game and any attempt by the backs at a breakaway from the defense line would quickly be foiled by a tackle.  In fact, it was ACS(I) who scored the first points of the game when they were awarded a penalty kick early in the first half.

The score remained for most of the half at 0-3 as both sides struggled to keep ball possession and launch any possible attack. A bad violation from the RJC camp resulted in another penalty awarded to the boys in yellow-blue stripes, but this time, the kick failed to clear the posts.

ACS(I) had a close stab at a try when they won the ball in a line-out near the try line and charged ahead.  But the Raffles defense put out all the stops and held their line.  The try attempt was foiled, and in a matter of minutes, the attack had quickly swung the other way.

In the final minutes of the first half, RJC’s Shaun Yam (no.11) received a pass in the midfield, faked a pass and then with a quick change of direction, sprung forward instead and broke through the ACS(I) line.  He skipped a few defenders before he was taken down – but not before passing the ball to Stuart Ho (no.13) who finished the play with a try. The conversion was not made, however, and at the end of the first half, RJC were leading 5-3.

Barely two minutes into the second half, ACS(I) twisted the situation around when they overpowered RJC’s scrum to score a try.  They went on to complete the conversion and the ACS(I) camp at the gallery broke into a frenzy of cheers as ACS(I) now led by five points at 10-5.

From then on, it was all RJC on the offense.  They missed another penalty kick and almost got through when a breakaway was foiled just before the try line.  With adrenaline all pumped up, it was only a matter of time that RJC finally scored their next try.  Missing the conversion kick again, RJC managed to level the game 10-10.

In the last few minutes of the game, both sides were awarded yet another penalty each, both of which failed to clear the posts.  And at full-time, the score remained level at 10-10.

With10 minutes of sudden-death extra time, it was RJC who dominated right from the start and it was not long before another penalty was awarded to the Rafflesians. Third-time lucky, the Rafflesians finally scored on a penalty as Ong Zhe Han (no.12) sent the ball flying between the posts.

It was at this moment that the Rafflesians broke out into a frenzy, and the pitch became a sea of greens, blacks and whites as RJC ended the final with a 13-10 win.

These were the boys who sweated it out on the pitch this afternoon.  Good job, everyone.

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
1 – Eric Ong
2 – Daryl Thio
3 – Liu Yi
4 – John Yeo
5 – Leo Yi Shyen
6 – Martin Butler
7 – Timothy Gay
8 – David Cheong
9 – Shane Gan
10 – Ian Gan
11 – Tang Hon Wei
12 – Justin Boey
13 – Blandon Tan (Captain)
14 – Md Khairulanwar
15 – Shannon Tan

Raffles Junior College
1 – Aaron Teo
3 – Jed Chua
5 – Kevin Neo
6 – Foo Ming Qing
7 – Thaddeus Cheng
8 – Law Yi Meng
9 – Wong Kah Wei
10 – Lee Chee Meng (Captain)
11 – Shaun Yam
12 – Ong Zhe Han
13 – Stuart Ho
14 – John Wisnioski
15 – Nazirul
18 – Iwan Kurniawan
24 – Kenny Ng

Editor’s note:  Right, we’ve gotten all the names, but we realize we don’t quite recognize the faces and the jersey numbers don’t appear on the pictures.  So, if you recognize yourselves or any of your friends in these pictures, drop us a note in the "Comments" section, and we’ll update the captions accordingly.  For more action shots, visit the picture gallery.  Thanks! I must say though, ACS should consider changing the colours of their numbers so that they can be seen. We were pitch side and still couldn’t see the numbers properly. Small red numbers on a blue and yellow background are impossible to see. Just a suggestion to facilitate better reporting. Thanks.