RMM 6 Desa Hartamas FC 4

See Saw Battle

RMM proved once again that on their day, the Golden Oldies can match anyone @ anywhere. In this instance, the anyone was Desa Hartamas FC (DHFC) who might as well be known as Hollywood FC with a roster of players that includes ex F1 driver Alex Yoong and ex M League pro football Abbas Saad. The where was the notorious Kelab Sultan Sulaiman, a hotspot for petty criminals looking to nick a player's bag or 2.

The wily veterans have learned to start their games strongly these days and this game was no exception. Attacking from the get go, RMM found the DHFC keeper to be in top form and a major stumbling block as the pacey Flash That and the Master Of Hit and Miss, Mat Burit came close on several occasions but were unable to find the net.

It was a matter of time before DHFC conceeded the 1st goal as RMM continued it's sustained siege on the DHFC goal. The situation that led to that important 1st goal was somewhat fortuotious for RMM as a DHFC defender unwittingly laid a back pass into the path of RMMs top scorer and resident superstar, Batigol. The supreme predator then unselfishly laid the ball into the path of RMMs holding midfielder, the marauding Hardman Joe. Even then, the DHFC keeper made life difficult for the now reformed Hardman by saving his first attempt. Fortunately for Hardman Joe, the rebound fell kindly into his path again for him to slot home to an empty net.

Flash That then got into the act for RMMs second as his flashy solo run left a host of DHFC defenders on their arses, leaving the speedster to walk the ball into an empty net.

It got even better for RMM when the ever supreme Batigol headed in a rare headed goal from Punisher's pin point cross. The placement of the header was by no means pin point, but the DHFC keeper decided to help by parrying the ball into the net. A sign of things to come.

With the scoreline @ 3-0, the over confident RMM players started to take their foot off the pedal, perhaps encouraged by the sight of a former M League player struggling to gain a foothold in the game. As their confidence grew, the RMM back line defended higher and higher up the pitch, leaving keeper Shark with the defensive sweeping duties.

DHFC got their 1st goal as a direct result of RMMs high defensive line as a long punt upfield from DHFC saw their striker, Giant Chinaman outpacing the RMM defense to home in towards the RMM goal. Unfortunately for RMM, the on rushing Shark misjudged the bounce of the oncoming ball and was caught flatfooted as well. Giant Chinaman the proceeded to roll the ball between the retreating SiYeh's legs into the RMM net.

RMM then hit back quickly to restore it's 3 goal lead when the flowing Kenny G pulled low cross from the DHFC byline for Predator to blast in from 2 yards out.

The first half ended 4-2 as Abbas Saad, who was relatively anonymous up to that point lobbed Shark from just inside the RMM half after a weak clearance header from SiYeh landed in front of him.

The former M League top scorer then scored his 2nd of the day at the start of the second half when some neat passing left him all alone facing the giant Speedy who had taken over the goalkeeping duties. Speedy, who is infamous for his poor positioning sense was needless to say caught in no man's land as Abbas easily chipped the ball over Speedy's gigantic 163cm frame to pull another goal back.

Abbas Saad then completed his hatrick when the RMM defence was once again caught flat and too far up the pitch leaving the Master Of The Alternative Universe, Speedy to face 2 DHFC strikers alone. Squaring up to the striker with the ball, Speedy could only watch helplessly as the DHFC striker unselfishly laid the ball across for the former M League to tap in from close range.

With the game tied @ 4 a piece, it looked as though the momentum was now with DHFC. That all changed however when the DHFC keeper suffered a sudden loss of form and dropped a simple catch to allow the rampaging Batigol to score from close range to give RMM a 5-4 lead.

The visibly shaken DHFC keeper did not have time to recover as the charging male bull elephant that is Batigol decided that he was not done yet. His next charge resulted in the DHFC keeper palming the ball weakly into the path of RMMs Hardman Joe who unselfishly laid the ball into the path of Mat Burit of managed to find the target from 8 yards out.

That proved to be the final goal in a pulsating game of football where both teams were committed to outscore each other.

RMMs victory was however marred by the theft of Marvelous Mel's belongings during the game, the second such incident involving RMMs players at this venue.

Venue: Kelab Sultan Sulaiman

Date: 12 September 2010

Scorers: Hardman Joe, Flash That, Batigol (x 2), Predator, Mat Burit