Singapore Football Club ran out 5-0 winners, against Gaelic Lions, as SFC returned their attention back to the Cosmo League on Saturday.
A brace of goals from Rob Benson, and a second consecutive man of the match performance from Liam Shotton, helped SFC secure all three points at Turf City.
The Sashmen took an early lead after the referee felt that Shotton had been unfairly upended in the Gaelic Lions penalty area after just a few minutes played. Ross Plain, on penalty duties for the day, promptly dispatched the ball past Krish Sibal to make it 1-0 to SFC.
Ten minutes later SFC’s No.14 was again, causing problems for the men in green. Picking the ball up just inside his own half, Shotton brushed off the advances of three Gaelic players before sprinting into the box and finally chipping the onrushing keeper. SFC 2 Gaelic Lions 0.
Despite a two-goal lead SFC was struggling to find any rhythm, and Gaelic continued to battle hard. The scoreline remained 2-0 as the teams went in for a well-earned break.
At half time some tactical tweaks saw the effervescent Rob Benson introduced to proceedings, and he immediately had an impact. The flying winger gave his opposite number a torrid time throughout the second half, as he helped himself to two goals. The young Englishman started and finished his second as he combined well with the granitic warhorse, Andrew Hutcheon, upfront.
At the back, Jonathan Huang and Simon Lloyd ably supported by Malcolm Amour kept things clean and tidy. Amour, on more than one occasion, showing his recent weight training sessions at the gym had been paying off, to ensure Ronnie Smollet added another clean sheet to his collection.
For the fifth and final goal, Jack Cullinane burst forwards, with one of his trademark surging runs, before deftly clipping the ball through to Shotton. The Stoke Strongman needed no second invitation from just inside the box and promptly dispatched the ball past the Gaelic keeper to conclude proceedings for the afternoon.
Next up… Gaelic again! (in the Cup)
