Grand Keeper Football Stadium
Busaba FC 4 SPA Srongpol 6 (Thursday 16th December 2021) Friendly (att: c10)
My luck was definitely in good health regarding fixtures following my move to Bangkok a couple of weeks earlier. Research and joining several Facebook sites alerted me of a third match that I could attend in a week, this despite an international break halting professional football.
The previous Thursday I’d had a lovely time and received a warm welcome from coach Chai and his SPA Srongpol team when I attended their game against Nonthaburi City which can be read about here. They were to play at the same venue, and I was keen to return.
This time I left my home at Min Residence a little earlier. I needed cheering up after a disastrous day for England in the cricket against Australia. The 197 bus arriving was a good start, with the old vehicle complete with a wooden floor dropped me at Big C near to the ground.
Unfortunately, it didn’t have a food court so after a bit of shopping I grabbed a snack at 7/11 before wandering across to be greeted by some friendly familiar faces as I settled into a seat under one of the covers.
Players from Khlong Samwa FC were training before kick-off with the game getting underway at 8.10pm. The pitch seemed in better condition than I noticed a week earlier, or perhaps the poor surface at FC Bang Sao Tong two days earlier had created that impression.
I had remembered my mosquito repellent. What a difference that made! Chai had around 22 players to give a game to. Busaba’s squad probably numbered 15. In the early stages SPA’s number 4, 8 and 62 all played confident football once again, though Mark, wearing 8 was close to scoring an accidental own goal, with the post saving him.
The ’away’ Srongpol team went 1-0 up when number 4 put away a corner. A
beautiful slide rule pass and neat finish by 39 doubled the lead on twenty-six
minutes. The same player missed an open goal seconds later after dispossessing
the Busaba goalkeeping.
However, a far post header after half an hour extended the lead to 3-0. At which point the referee blew his whistle to halt play. The sides came off to the side of the pitch. I asked a SPA player if it was a shortened match? He explained that it was to be four quarters of thirty minutes to give everyone a decent game.
That made sense. Chai changed ten of his players as the next set got their opportunity. A good finish by number 69 dragged Busaba back into the contest. The team in a fetching amber and black outfit began to beat the offside trap when they attacked.
Chances were being missed at either end, with the standard not as high as in the first quarter. 8 for SPA Srongpol made it 4-1 before another interval when the original starters resumed for the boys in blue.
I was surprised that the teams hadn’t changed ends, but it didn’t really matter. The conditions didn’t give an advantage to attacking either goal. People were enjoying playing football. That should be all that matters.
Busaba got another back and then scored once again to make it 3-4 when number 13 beat the offside line to square for 9 to score. The clever interplay along with Srongpol’s high line was keeping the linesman on the far side on his guard.
However, a series of defensive errors allowed in 6 of Srongpol who scored to make it 3-5. The pace dropped in the final quarter. Credit must go to the three officials who were still going strong after two hours. I liked the tactic of the nearside linesman who flapped his flag so the ref could hear him when he signalled.
The lead was narrowed when a deflected shot from Busaba’s impressive 69 looped past the keeper. Any chance of a draw disappeared with a fine solo goal from SPA’s 10 in the final action of the game.
It had been a first for me. I had only seen games of two hours before when cup ties had gone to extra time after finishing level on ninety minutes. And I hadn’t seen teams kick the same way throughout.
But it didn’t matter. I enjoyed myself again. The welcome was warm, and I loved the way the players acknowledged each other at full time. I headed off to grab a taxi home in time to enjoy a Zoom chat with my brother and family back in the cold of the UK.
Would there be any more midweek games between Christmas and New Year? If there was, I’d be making an effort to attend.
next time change side should be do for an advantage each another ^_^
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