HEARTS SING IN THE RAIN AS OPPONENTS GO MENTAL

LHFC 3 (Jerry, Daniel, Kenny)

"POLY" TEAM 1

Reported By Kelvin Goh
kelvin_goh_912@hotmail.com

Heavy rain threatened to end all proceedings before the match but it was a stellar performance by the Hearts, which sank the opponents.

Not to be undone by the one hour delay, goals from Jerry, Daniel and Kenny were enough for LHFC to wrap up their first victory of the new campaign as the opponents were reduced to ten men in the second half.

In a first half dominated largely by the team in yellow, LHFC came close on a numerous number of occasions and chances were spurred. Samuel had an angle drive parried by their number one after going round a few defenders. Kenny could have opened the scoring but handled the ball inside the box.

Though it seem the Hearts could have ran out with a cricket score, it amazingly remained nil all after the first interval.

The Hearts could have been made to pay after the opponents scored against the break of play and almost made it two on the day with an audacious lob over the keeper.

It seemed as though it wasn’t to be LHFC or Samuel’s day as the latter’s volley crashed off the post and his free kick bounced off the bar. The Armored Engineer also had a penalty saved by the goalkeeper after Kenny had been fouled inside the box. The referee refused to allow play to continue after the foul in the box, which would have resulted in the equalizer as Kelvin put the ball in the net.

However, the Hearts never stopped fighting and their resilience paid off as Jerry neatly placed a low finish outside the box to finally draw both teams level.

LHFC sensed this was the moment. And indeed this was the turning point as debut boy Daniel rose in the six-yard box to head home a Samuel corner. Shortly after, petulance from the opponents no. 14 was right punished with his second yellow card of the morning.

There was even time for a third as Daniel’s shot from outside the box was inavertedly turned in by Kenny, though there was speculation about him being in an offside position.

Unmistakable joy and relief as the referee’s whistle blew for full time. The Hearts showing dogged determination in telling circumstances as the opponents bottled it in the second half. - AP

LHFC: Guo Yong, Joel Thong, Daniel, Sheng Jie, Jun Xiang (Jerry 45), Raymond, Samuel, Zhi Yuan (Kelvin Goh 45), Yen Sun (Jack 45), Kenny (Hak Liang 45), Valentino