Story by REDintern Stefanus Ian. Photos by Vanessa Lim/Red Sports

A division floorball boys final MJ vs VJC

Ng Jun Hao of VJC trying to intercept the ball from Amos Tan of MJC. (Photo 1 © Vanessa Lim/Red Sports)

Republic Polytechnic Sports Hall, Monday, May 23, 2011 — Meridian Junior College (MJC) completed their season undefeated after edging out Victoria Junior College 5-4 in the final of the National A Division Boys’ Floorball Championship.

It was perhaps a fitting score with both sides quite evenly-matched for most parts of the game. VJC took the lead early on in the first period with a penalty and a goal from open play. The quick succession of goals stunned the vociferous MJC crowd.

However, MJC soon replied with an imperious performance in the second period as they caught fire, scoring five unanswered goals. Nevertheless, VJC displayed their fighting spirit to close the gap to one goal in the last minute. Alas, it was too little too late as MJC hung on for a narrow victory.

VJC started out brightly with their pressuring game working to full effect, especially with the advantage of a small court. Their pressure created a number of chance with Eugene Foo (VJC #11) shooting wide after a good interception. VJC finally went ahead with 4:26 on the clock when an MJC player was deemed to have played the ball in the goalie crease, resulting in a penalty.

Marshall Tham (VJC #55) brilliantly scored the penalty from the left as he forced the MJC goalkeeper to commit the wrong way with his fakes. The vocal VJC supporters celebrated as the VJC bench invaded the pitch swarming their goalscorer.

MJC were taken aback and before they could regain their composure, VJC struck again, this time through Joseph Lee (VJC #10) who scored easily from the center as no one was closing him down. The scoreboard showed 2-0 to the boys in green as the buzzer sounded for the end of the first period.

Whatever MJC coach Filip Dahlgeren said to his boys at the break must have worked to perfection as MJC came out in the second period like a team possessed. The first of their five goals came after less than three minutes through Amos Tan (MJC #37) who scored from the right with a swift drag shot after being set up nicely by his teammates.

Brian Tan (MJC #18) then scored, this time from close range, after Qin Hui’s (MJC #13) earlier shot rebounded off the barrier behind the goalpost towards him. Qin Hui then took the lead for MJC as he scored from close range after Ramesh (VJC #27) was dispossessed right behind his goalpost.

Soon the floodgates opened as MJC breached VJC’s defense two more times before the end of the second period. With 3:19 on the clock, Yu Kean (MJC #9) made a darting run on the right before squaring the ball deliciously to find Brian Tan (MJC #18) for the fourth MJC goal.
In the last minute of the period, Samuel Loh scored the winning goal of the game after reacting the quickest following his teammate’s missed shot.

Fatigue was a factor for VJC’s lacklustre performance in the second period and their coach said as much after the game. They hardly threatened in the second period with only their skipper Muhammad Afi Syafiq (VJC #7) the creative spark for their team as they went into the final 15 minutes of the season trailing by three goals.

After enduring a nightmarish second period, VJC tried to rouse themselves to make a comeback. MJC seemed content to sit back and defend, taking long shots and not taking any unnecessary risks. This made it difficult for VJC who were desperately trying to claw their way back into the game.

VJC finally caught a break with four minutes left on the game clock when Marcus Kong (MJC #89) was sent to the sin bin, leaving MJC one man down and swinging the momentum to VJC’s side. Marshall Tham (VJC #55) came close to scoring soon, hitting the left corner frame of MJC’s goalpost after some smooth and swift passing.

VJC continued their barrage of shots on MJC’s goal as they tried to make their numerical advantage count. Hence, it was ironic that VJC finally scored only just after Marcus Kong came back in. With less than two minutes left, Joshua Lee (VJC #9) delivered a sweet cross for his brother Joseph Lee (VJC #10) to score, closing the gap to two, further heaping the pressure on MJC. Even both sets of supporters were feeling the nerves as MJC supporters rose to their feet to will their team on in the last minute of the game.

Unfortunately, that did not seem to help as MJC conceded an own goal with 16 seconds left in the game. Muhammad Asyraf (MJC #7) was overwhelmed with anguish as Eugene Foo’s (VJC #11) cross rebounded off him into the goal to the delirium of the VJC supporters.

The full-capacity crowd was now on their feet with the game hanging precariously in the balance with just one goal separating the two teams. As the game restarted, MJC defended as if their lives were on the line for what must have been the longest 16 seconds of their floorball season. As the MJC supporters counted down the time, MJC finally breathe a collective sigh of relief when the buzzer sounded the end of the game.

MJC’s strong bench proved to be the difference in the match with the second period being a prime example. MJC had five different scorers compared to VJC’s two. MJC’s bench players also did well to carry on the momentum created by each goal to continue extending their lead as their VJC counterparts struggled to turn the tide.

Filip Dahlgeren, MJC’s coach, was clearly proud of his charges saying: “My boys went through the whole season unbeaten, which I think, is the first time it has happened. Credit to VJC for pushing us all the way to the end.”

The VJC coach, Muhammad Miryanto Amir, also commented after the match: ” The boys did well and we knew we had a chance going into the final but we just could not take our chances.”

Match Statistics
MJC 5 VJC 4

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