Hong Kong Reds 4 v 1 Savills

19th October 2007, KO 3.00pm, Happy Valley, Pitch 3

Coach: Dave ’Benitez’ Oh

Team: Juri Kuzma, Ian Agass, Tony Stringer, Brendan Malone, Simon Forder, Duncan Micallef, Tony Chan, Jason Li, Chin, Mike Pot, Caleb Leung, Michael Ravissant, Ken Abela and Alf Yeung.


Match Report by Ken ’Pepe’ Reina
Contributions by Dave Oh


On a beautiful sunny afternoon Hong Kong Reds once again took to the hallowed turf of Happy Valley Football Ground.

After receiving criticism for his rotation policy in their last match, Dave ’Benitez’ Oh made no mistake this time by not choosing 25 players.

Their opponents would be Savills, renowned in Hong Kong for their ability to knock in deceiving powerful crosses that even the best keepers struggle with. The last time these two teams met they played out a 2-2 draw!





Team news
The Hong Kong Reds were buoyed with news that Ian “Hyypia’s got nothing on me” McAlan would not be available.  Into his shoes stepped the one man responsible for scaring away any animal shaped team mascots, Juri ’big missile’ Kuzma.  There was also a new cap for Aussie new comer, Brendan Malone, who fifty percent of the female fans watching the game compared favourably to Sylar from Heroes (and perhaps he may have been responsible for all those long range shots the Savills keeper didn’t see/ catch/move for/bother about). There was also debut for Caleb Leung in his fancy red boots! Tony Stringer decided he would show up 5 minutes before half-time because he had a cold! Poor girl!


Brenda aka Sylar from Heroes!

Ian Agass was chosen by Dave ’Benitez’ Oh to be captain and what an inspired choice that was! Leading from the front (well from centre of defence), he was ffing and blinding all match...what a true leader!

The Match
The opening twenty minutes of the game will be remembered for two things. The first being the launch of Hong Kong Reds’ first space rocket, courtesy of Juri’s throw ins; and the second being Savills’ goal. Many will argue that it may have been the fault of the goal keeper, yet very few realise that the current trend is for keepers to set up the strikers. Even fewer realize just how vicious that cross was, especially in the swirly windy conditions created by the design of the race track. So against the run of play, the Reds found themselves 1-0 down.

For a short time afterwards it appeared that it was going to be one of those days, as attack after attack was wasted for the Hong Kong Reds, the pick of the bunch being Jason Li’s run into the box followed by avoiding the empty net and hitting the keeper instead, who cheated by pushing it off the posts for a corner, thereby contradicting the current goal keeping trends. The aerial threat of Ian Agass and Mike Pot was causing havoc in the Savills penatly area, the latter having a powerful header crash of the bar.



However, just as it was all looking bad for the Hong Kong Reds, Jason Li atoned for his earlier debacle by equalising.  This goal just before half time lifted the players’ and fans’ hearts and belief that the game could be won returned to one and all (except may be those who’d played on Ken’s team before).

The half time team talk was arguably one of the best Hong Kong Reds’ own Dave ’ Benitez’ Oh has given in October.  His stirring words, aided with a few comments about the keeper’s inability to catch a cold (for once aimed at the opposition keeper as much as our own), ensured that confidence was high in all but Ian Agass who was soon to start his “I wanna go up front” toys out of pram ranting. We noticed that Juri was decided to wear those white knee length girl socks - he thought they turn the opposition on!




The second half saw some great play from the Hong Kong Reds, with most of the play being in the Savills half. Happy in the knowledge that their keeper was somehow worse than ours, a number of long range shots were attempted, including two great goals for Si Forder from outside of the box, and one from Brendan ’Syler’ Malone that came straight from the training ground.

A delightful pass through by Chin put Jase Li through but with the goal at his mercy he srewed his shot wide of the post. We are not sure what Jase Li drinks but his energy levels are abnormal!



The back four were hardly troubled, except for one moment of charity from Jason Li, who elected to pass to the striker instead of the keeper. Again he managed to atone for that by clearing it off the line.

  

Great game all round, four goals scored, one let in, a mission to the moon launched, Ian Agass was faultless, our keeper was brilliant allowing only one of those famed dangerous crosses to result in a goal, Ian Agass finally went up front (although his shooting was better when he was playing at the back), and Hong Kong Reds’ win filtered back to Liverpool’s squad which led them to beat Everton.

Match result: Hong Kong Reds 4 - 1 Savills


Man of the match
Was a tough one between Duncan and Captain Ian Agass, who had a solid games at the back; or Si Forder for his well taken 2 goals. In the end it went to Duncan for his great work at the back, and the ability to change defence to attack.

Rocket space launcher award
Juri for being the first Slovakian to launch a rocket into space
He said God gave him his gift...no doubt GOD didn’t give him the other gift he always wanted!

Everton Wally Wallet award
No longer needs to be given out as Ian McAlan has well and truly made it his own. Although one feels that Jason’s throw in and “back” pass, along with Ian Agass’ inability to kick the flailing keeper out of the way when he had the oppositions’ cross well under control, would have given Ian a run for his money.
Previous match reports
HK Reds v Spartans Vets
HK Supporters’ 6s 2009
HK Reds v USRC
HK Reds KL Tour 2007
HK Reds v Savills (II)
HK Reds v AIG (II)
HK Reds v AIG (I)
HK Reds v Savills (I)
Dynasty v HK Reds (II)
Dynasty v HK Reds (I)
Manarise v HK Reds
Sandy Bay Strollers v HK Reds
Pepsi Shooters vs HK Reds

Want to play for the Hong Kong Reds football team?
11-a-side-team please email: dave@hongkongreds.com


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