Team Review: Firebrands

Firebrands
Final standing: 6th/6
Goals scored: 7
Goals conceded: 28

Biggest win: NA
Biggest loses: 1-10 (v Dalat Falcons)
Highest scoring match: 1-10 (v Dalat Falcons)

Total penalty minutes: 24 minutes
Most committed foul: Incorrect distances(12 minutes)

Top scorer: Daniel Tan (6 goals)
Top assist: Andrew Chan (2 assists)

Point leaders:
1. Daniel Tan (6+1)
2. Andrew Chan (0+2)
3. Chan Per Yue (1+0)

Penalty leaders:
1. Daniel Tan (8 mins)
2. Alex Low (4 mins)
James Tan (4 mins)

Best player:
As the most experienced player in the team, it was not surprising that the goalie, Bryan Koh emerged as the most consistent player of the team.

Having trained under Frontliners for a year or so, 2009 saw the goalie signing a new allegiance with Firebrands instead. It was his relentless shot stopping ability that protected and prevented the already fragile defence of the newly form team.

His heralded heroics saves earned him a place in the PFL Division 2 All-Star team. Congratulations!

It would mark as a milestone for the boy but there should be no stopping, there is still much room for improvement.

Borak says:
It was an expected position for the new team to end up with. Last place was the destination but the process of Firebrands getting there did raise some eyebrows.

The team core force consisted of tough guys, Alex Loh, Andrew Chan and James Tan. With their natural brute, they often out muscled smaller opponents. While they depend solely on Daniel Tan's poacher instinct to notch in the goals. The rest of the team, who were mainly kids, didn't have much playing time as the coach was trying to keep the competitiveness level of the team.

With little to lose and everything to gain, the team played without fear and shown little respect to the rest. Most games, toughness without skill saw them being crushed, however, in other games, their battling spirit really unsettled their opponents.

The highlight of their campaign was the near win against 300 where their lead was diminished minutes before the final whistle. 2 points is always better but as a totally new team, 1 point would do them some real good.

The league may have ended, but for Firebrands, it is just the beginning of their Floorball journey. Train hard and continue to play with heart!

Player Rating: Firebrands vs Dalat Falcons

5 = world class
4 = superb
3 = good
2 = ok ok
1 = bad

Firebrands:
Gk:
Bryan Koh 3
There was just nothing the keeper could have done to halt Falcons' goal scoring run. All he could muster was to keep out as many others as possible, which he did. Every save was match by a loud cheer from the Firebrands contingent. The sole positive that Firebrands could comfort themselves with on the night of a 10 goal trashing.

Defenders:
Alex Loh 2
The test was beyond the Captain's capacity. Tried hard but failed.

Andrew Chan 2

Ong Zi Hoong 2

Jesher Lim (Didn't play enough to be rated)

Attackers:
James Tan 2

Daniel Tan 2
A quiet night for the forward as he was left alone up front trying to snatch a goal or two. Managed to grab one but when the big guys was back, he was out muscled and barely threatened.

Chan Per Yue 2

Keeran (Didn't play enough to be rated)

Marc Tong (Didn't play enough to be rated)

Joshua Tong (Didn't play enough to be rated)

Isaac Chew (Didn't play enough to be rated)

Dalat Falcons:
Gk:
Daniel Kim 2
A sheer spectator. Had maybe about 2 -3 shots to save and thats about it.

Defenders:
Kerry Mahoney 4
The catalyst of Falcons' win for the night. Came in late but with great influenced. Directly involved with all the 4 goals scored in the first half. Was solid as usual at the back, giving Daniel Tan almost no chance to take a shot on goal.

Brain Weidermann 2

Kyle Ladner 2

Jared Willians 2

Attackers:
Drew Steiert 3
The Captain finally back to his old self. Continued his scoring run with 4 goals, his second hattrick for the campaign and tipped off Adrian on the scoring charts.

Andy Goh 2
The boy keeps getting better and better, once again supplier Drew with his passes. Keep it up.

Reagan Mahoney 3
A very talented boy for his age with pretty good techniques and a willing runner. A star poacher for the future.

Riley Mahoney 2
Much faster and fancier in his dribblings but a bit too much. Often loses the ball trying to go pass every defender. Faster released on the final ball would be nice.

Jason Kimball 2

Michelle Prestidge 2

Match Review: The Falcon has landed!

Firebrands vs Dalat Falcons
1-10(1-5, 0-5)

First Period:
0242 0-1Drew Steiert (Andy Goh)
0829 1-1 Daniel Tan (Andrew Chan)
1046 1-2 Drew Steiert (Kerry Mahoney)
1338 1-3 OG
1356 1-4 Kerry Mahoney
1451 1-5 Reagan Mooeny (Kerry Mahoney)

Second Period:
2514 1-6 Drew Steiert
2610 1-7 Michelle Prestidge
3308 1-8 OG
3645 1-9 Reagan Mahoney
3708 1-10 Drew Steiert (Andy Goh)

Bench Penalties:
Firebrands 2mins x 3
Dalat Falcons 2mins x 1

Finally, PFL 2009 Div 2 is coming to a close and what better way to officially end the league with a medal deciding game - Firebrands versus Dalat Falcons.

Firebrands who just recorded their first points against 300 are now looking on to the possibility of striking another few more points before the league ends. Falcons, on the other hand, finally seems to be coming ba9ck on track after some early struggles. Although it may be all too late now, still, it would be nice to end their campaign with a bang.

However, moments before the face-off, a glance at the Falcons' bench, one might think that the night may be leaning towards Firebrands' way after all as Falcons were forced to start the game with only one line, the rest of the squad went missing due to some school event which was held around the same time.

To the contrary, it was a night not to remember for the Firebrands, and it all started with a bench penalty for their top scorer, Daniel Tan. The forward was fouled for a lying play and within seconds, Falcons' Captain, Drew opened the scoring when Andy Goh cross past the defenders and found Drew whose simple tap in at point blank made it a 1-0 lead.
No chance for Bryan to react.

With that goal, the game kick started with more "omph" as both teams began exchanging blows.

Drew came close with a shot that was somehow instinctively (or accidentally) saved by the keeper's helmet. Firebrands surviving the scare got their live line when Andrew's mad man run up front force the defender into an error. The defender who was way out of position then fed Daniel Tan, unleashing an unstoppable shot from the side into Daniel Kim's goal.

1-1.
All square.

The game is back on, but Falcons were the dominant one and with their regulars back in the squad after a brief mysterious disappearance, Firebrands hope dimmed.

And it was one of the late comers, the so ever dependable rearguard, Kerry Mahoney that contributed their second. The referee awarded Falcons a free hit just outside the crease which Kerry, laid a pass to Drew, converted it via a first timer. Firebrands defender was slow in charging out to close down the shot, giving Drew a clear clean shot.

1-2.

Falcon's continue to dominate in possession, launching waves of attack onto Firebrands. Alex and co. were struggling to cope with Falcon's pacey forwards who danced around their half. They were lucky not to concede as the forwards were wasteful in their shots. However, can't say the same when it comes to free hit as Falcons made it count not once, but twice to score against Firebrands.

Two were scored by Falcons in quick succession. The first was an unforturnate one from a corner taken by Kerry. The goalie, for an interception attempt or whatsoever other reasons, stuck his foot out and deflected Kerry's hard corner cross and into his own net.
A goal out of no where!

Kerry was again the culprit from the second set piece. He was quick to react when the referee awarded Falcons another free hit outside the crease for an incorrect kick. This time, seeing the gap, he powered a direct shot straight into the net.

1-4.

Well, as usual, bad luck continued to follow. The unlucky individual this time was James Tan. The centre was found guilty for heading an incoming ball. The referees had no other choice but to sent him off for a bench penalty. Falcons took full advantage of it and added the fifth to the scoreline via a father (Kerry)-son combo, Reagan being on the score sheet.

1-5.

Firebrands sufferred a huge blow by the ferocious Falcons, needing all the inspiration coach Jason could give them during the break.

Falcons with a healthy lead, wasn't about to rest their laurels after the break. They continue to press on against an uninspired Firebrands who have lost all their battling aura.

Captain Drew, who was playing all out as if a redemption for all the mishaps and lost time for the walkover, was at his peak scoring form. 5 minutes into the second half, the captain scored his second hattrick of the league, taking his points to 8, tying with Adrian.

1-6.
6 for Falcons, 3 for Drew.

The goals just wouldn't stop flowing in for Firebrands and there was no stopping Michelle Pristidge's goal. It was a beauty considering the makeshift forward had almost no angle but the shot forced it's way pass Bryan's head and into the net.

1-7.

Firebrands had a rare breather when Jason Kimball was penalised for incorrect distance. The foul lifted Firebrands off the pressure and gave them a few chances for a fight back. However, it was still Falcons in control being the more penatrative with their runs and shot.

Lady Luck seems to enjoy torturing poor Firebrands as the goal rush continues. This time, it was Firebrands' Capt who gets himself on the wrong side of the score sheet. The defender who was un-pressured at the corner, somehow made an awkward clearance straight down the middle, which to Bryan's horror, deflected into his own net.

1-8. 2 OGs, What a miserable night for the goalie.

By then, Firebrands seems to gave in, the coach decided to send on the untried newbies for a test of competitive Floorball. An effort that backfired as Isaac Chew tasted his first bench penalty for incorrect distance.

The move made Firebrands even more vulnerable and Reagan, not planning to hold back, waltz around in the Firebrands half before deciding to take a ride behind the goal and before Bryan could react, Reagan curled in a cheeky low ball from behind.

1-9.

Drew decided to add somemore, another dip of icing on the cake, converting his 8th goal in the campaign, once again from Andy, leapfrogging him above Adrian in the point ladder.

Final score, 1-10.

It wasn't an easy fight for Firebrands at all especially with Falcons' escalating performance. However, it was very pleasant to see a group of new floorballers strutting out and giving their best in the game. Bravo to team Firebrands! Keep up the spirit! :)
There's always next year!

Firebrands:
Firebrands started off with a trashing, improved and fate decided they should end their first ever outing with another trashing.

Harsh stuff.

It was a night they wouldn't want to remember as everything seems to be against them. Nevertheless they kept going and going until finally giving in final moments before the final whistle.

Falcons who were on the forms of their lives was just too hot for them to handle. They were strong, fast and organised, leaving only their shadows for Firebrands to chase.

An encouraging effort for the first timers, keep it up and hope to see more of them in the future.

MoM:
The brighter side of this match was the heroic perforamance of the goalie Bryan Koh.

The goalie has again and again impressed everyone with his agility and goalkeeping techniques, keeping out shots with every possible means but was helpless in conceding 10 by a combination of bad luck and beginers' defending.

The boy, has huge potential. Keep it up.

Dalat Falcons:
A flawless performance by the Falcons, the only setback is that it came too late.

This was the kind of performance that the panel expected to see when they tipped Falcons to be the league champions. Falcons, combine with their athleticism and expericience dominated throughout the match, restricting Firebrands with only a handful of chances.

Their late revival cost them the league title, but they still did enough to secure them a bronze medal.

Drew, who was is such bad from at the start just couldn't stop scoring in his last 2 matches, and with tat, he is once again crowned PFL Div 2 point leader for the second year running. Merely a point over Adrian or Phoenix.

MoM:
It is a tough pick between Drew or Kerry.

Drew might have scored 4 and defended his point leader title, but it was Kerry who came in and influenced the match.

The defender has been one of the most consistent performers in the league and although he came in late for the game, he singlehandedly destroy Firebrands in the first half.

First the assist for Drew then the own goal which he was directly involved, continued with his free hit goal before adding another assist for his son.

An instrumental performance by the veteran defender who had once again proved why he is one of the best defenders in Div 2.

Match Preview: The Final Lap

Firebrands vs Dalat Falcons

Date: 17th March 2009 (Tuesday)
Face-off Time: 7.45pm
Venue: Dalat International School

What a finale.

15 matches over the span of two months have indeed stirred up the Floorball scene in Penang.
From the Bullets trashing on Firebrands,
to the surprise 300 win over Bullets,
then the walk over by Falcons,
to the battling draw by Firebrands.
Dramatic and flamboyant sum up the excitement and unpredictability of the league, providing much entertainment and a plethora of emotions.

The final match sees Firebrands versus Dalat Falcons with both teams on its own hidden agenda.
Firebrands, although bottom in the league, is arguably the most improved team as they played successive matches after another. This is evident as they succeeded in snatching away 300's crucial point, derailing them from the medal course. This has always been the case with the underdogs, they come in with no experience, no expectation and above all, no fear!
That's the scary part.
Can they repeat the same feat against Falcons?

Ironically, thanks to their to-be opponent, Falcon's medal hopes have been reignited when Firebrands denied 300 a win, and with 300 losing to Phoenix in their final game, Falcon's fate is in their own hands. They merely need a draw which we'll see them tie on 5 points together with 300 but they will soar ahead of 300 due to their win against them.

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, 300 might hold grudge against Firebrands for the draw, but they would be rooting for them to beat Falcons so they can get the glory. On the other hand, Griffins would be hoping Falcons to win so that they would not have to see themselves in the bottom.

Confusing and complex it is but this is all coming to an end.
So, let us savor the final moments of PFL 2009 Division 2,
say good bye,
and say hello again in more, upcoming tourney's!

There will be a closing ceremony after the final match tonight.
So to all supporters, be sure to be there!
Let's cheer em' on for the last lap!

Key Player:
Firebrands:
Bryan Koh has been one of the main pillars of team Firebrands throughout the league, although he doesn't get the glory of scoring goals like Daniel, but his heroic ball stopping is well acknowledge by the crowd and his peers.

He might have conceded the most, but without him, the figures might have been doubled. Therefore, against Falcons who would be blasting all around the court, he'll be the last line of defense, if the balls manage to penetrated James, Alex and Andrew.

With Daniel who tends to sneak around up front, the keeper's throw would proved to be Firebrands deadlest weapon in the game to initiate counters. Something 300 who be praying hard for.

Dalat Falcons:
Drew Steiret with his scoring touch back looks to be raring to go. He is now 5 points in the point ladder and must be counting how many goals and/ or assist he need, to top the charts again.

With his limitless stamina, well built physique, cheeky shots, and battling spirits, scoring seems inevitable. He would be too hot for Firebrands to handle and therefore he has so only himself to stop him from getting on the score sheet.

Predictions:
Bendy:
Interesting finale. The medals and last place will have to be decided in the final match of the day. Anxiety on both ends.

Kudos to Firebrands for pushing the league so far, without their battling displays to create surprising results, it would have been boring.

Based on facts and (self-proclaimed) professional analysis, it would be hard to not pick Falcons for the win. They are big, they are strong and they are fast, it would be near impossible to stop them. However, as a spectator, it is even harder to neglect the urge for surprises. Falcons inexperience keeper against poacher Daniel Tan; Bryan on from with Drew off form. Anything could happen.

All things go well, still, a comfortable win and bronze for Falcons.

Jose

This is Firebrands last chance to pull off an upset against the mighty Falcons as PFL Division 2 comes to a close. Firebrands have been growing and growing in confidence as the league progress. From losing 8-0 in their first game to drawing 2-2 with Frontliners 300, this team deserves some respect!

If Dalat would to go into this game thinking that the bronze is already theirs, then they are seriously wrong. This game is going to be a neck to neck battle, but i still see Dalat walking off winners by 2 goals. The logic behind this is simply because Dalat has more options upfront when compared to Firebrands who get most of their goals from their center, Daniel Tan. Without any doubt, Dalat for bronze.

Spritzer:

I think to all eyes, it's an obvious win for Dalat. Although Firebrands have shown much improvement, I doubt they have the edge to defeat Dalat in the match. Dalat themselves have been improving as well, especially their key forward, Drew. Having said that, with Firebrands recent stunt for pulling off an uncalled-for scoreline against 300, it's also hard to tell what they are actually up to against Falcons.

It will be a tough fight for Firebrands if they want to emerge out as winners. Dalat's defensive system and players are solid at the back, their forwards are like those energizer bunnies and their centres are commanding. An easy win for Dalat.

Player Rating: Frontliners 300 vs Firebrands

5 = world class
4 = superb
3 = good
2 = ok ok
1 = bad

Firebrands:
Gk:
Bryan Koh 3
Was helpless in preventing the goals having his vision impaired by the crowd in front of him but was definitely key in preserving Firebrands' draw in the dying minutes when 300 went all out. Not forgetting a penalty save against Mikey.

Defenders:
Alex Low 3
A very good effort from Alex who has been improving from game to game. Was a defensive rock for his team in this match. Good effort!

Andrew Chan 3
Another solid performance by the defender who compensated his lack of skills with intimidating aggressiveness. A poor game by Mike is a good reflection of his hard work. Although a split second lapse of concentration gift Mike a contender for goal of the league.

Ong Zi Hoong 2

Attackers:
James Tan 3
The driving force of Firebrand for the day. His unmatchable fitness was what stood him out amongst everyone and he utilised it with great effectiveness, covering every inch of the court, supporting in attack and limiting the opponents' attacking options.

Daniel Tan 2
An eyesore for defenders with his electrifying pace, causing all sorts of problems in 300's half but was rather lazy today compared to previous games. Nevertheless, it was another 2 goals to bring his tally up to 5 in the scoring charts.

Jouhua Tong Jia Xin 2

Marc Tong Jia Wey (Did not play enough to be rated)


Frontliners 300:
Gk:
Soon Khai 2
A decent game with some decent saves but his anticipation let him down a couple of times costing him 2 goals. Other than the risky penalty saved, was rarely threaten by the wasteful Firebrands.

Defenders:
June Kew 3
Michael might be the one with the magic, but Ms. Consistency has been producing the same goods throughout the league. Her decent defensive senses and Pei-Li-ish aggression won her numerous possession which she released it wastefully, an area in need of improvements. Although the bench penalties may have dimmed her glowing performance a little.

Sonia Gopal 2

Roselyn Ewe 2

Attackers:
Michael Cheah 2
A disappointing performance by his standard. Didn't contribute much other than the two crucial goals as he was struggling due to both fatigue and tight marking by Firebrands.

Mekanath 2
Tried to imposed himself throughout the game fighting for all the lose balls for Frontliners upfront. Must have felt really lonely as he does not get a fair share of supply from his fellow team mates.

Julian Tan 2
Was not in his energetic best as he seems reluctant to run, especially for loose balls and rebounds which would have change the face of the game.

Tristan James 2

KennethYeap 2

Match Review: Firebrands Crush 300's Medal Hopes

Frontliners 300 vs Firebrands
2-2(1-2, 1-0)

First Period:
0350 0-1 Daniel Tan ( Andrew Chan )
1518 1-1 Michael Cheah ( Julian Tan )
1555 1-2 Daniel Tan

Second Period:
3154 2-2 Michael Cheah

Bench Penalties:
Frontliners 300 2mins x 6
Firebrands 2min x 1

Always expect the unexpected.
Well, at least for sports it works that way.

Both teams having indifferent fortunes in their campaign but coming into the game eyeing for the same thing, 2 points for different reasons;
300 for the glory,
Firebrands for pride.

And so, as predicted, the team with nothing to lose and everything to gain started off brightly. Firebrands, ran the show early on with high and intense forechecking, not showing the title challengers much respect.

300 on the hand, was rather shaky, not really living up to expectations as contenders as they were struggling to find their rhythm with Firebrands dictating the tempo and possession.

It didn't took long before Firebrands capitalised on some woeful defending from 300.
Daniel making himself an eyesore for the defenders, went head on with two defenders, and somehow managed to flick the ball towards goal. The goalie, to his horror and everyone amusement, did little to stop the ball, a goal with suspicious deflection.

It was a messy goal to concede, but a goal nevertheless and a surprising start for the underdogs. The goal surely boosted Firebrands confidence who were fearing the worst coming into the game, now with the lead, 300 will have to step up to chase the scoreline.

Coach Jason who is also the coach of Firebrands, opted to be with 300 in this mini derby hoping to boost their medal chances but the coach, not being in his vocal best due to sore throats, was unable to lead the team effectively. Without the thunderous roar for the sidelines, 300 just seems unable to put their foot on the pedal and with their main man Michael being heavily scrutinised by Andrew, they lack the spark they have been relying all this while to break the resolute Firebrands' defense.

To make things worst, due to miscommunication from the bench, 300 find themselves down with one man when the referee's sharp eyes spotted them playing with 6 men. Roeslyn the unlucky last person to step onto the court was sent to the penalty bench.

Firebrands were content with holding the ball, wasting precious seconds rather then attacking the vulnerable 4 men 300. When possession switched hands, 300 too held the ball without any attacking intent, a true portrait of their friendship.

The no-war strategy extended when Roselyn, unaware of the rules, made a substitution straight on the sidelines, the "eagle-eyed" referees were spot on and Roselyn once again spent leisure time with the secretariats.

The tide turned when Firebrands find themselves down to 4 when Zi Hoong was sent off for incorrect distance. Firebrands might be hoping their counterpart to return them the favour by doing some charity, but 300 with the medal in mind weren't deciding to be that merciful. Waves after waves of attacking pour forward but to no avail, M2M(Michael and Mekanath) and co just couldn't find a break through.

Just when they thought they were going to see it through and revert back to full strength, a slight lapse of concentration saw Bryan's goal finally breached. 300 were trying to do the obvious with the free hit they won on the right, a tap for Michael to do a drag. Up to that moment, they had succeeded in unsettling the boy by charging towards him. But for whatever reason, they stood stoned when Michael took a not-so-impressive shot, crept low into the crowd and before the keeper notices, it was in the net.

1-1.
A load roar of relief by 300, they are at least back in on equal terms.

However, their triumph was short.
300's forward was not aware of Soon Khai's throw, instead an alert Daniel spotted the miss throw, charging in for and interception and dispatched a thunderbolt from half court into the net, pass an helpless Soon Khai who was out of position.

1-2.
An instant reply by Firebrands and to 300 dismay, they have their work cut short, squandering the hard earned equaliser moments earlier.

Things might have gotten worst for 300 when Firebrands was awarded a dubious penalty for playing in the crease, June being the one penalised. Daniel who was in sizzling form was handed the duty to take the penalty. An intense and stressful task even for the experienced.

A dead silence as the boy marched down with the ball towards the goal. As he got closer and closer towards the goal, Soon Khai made a sudden spring from his goal line, and shocked Daniel, who reacted by pulling the ball back, violating the no-pull-back rule. A huge roar form 300 bench as they rush in, giving the goalie a deserved pat on the back.

It was rather a bold moved by the goalie who barely touch the ball, but it was enough to force the inexperience forward to concede a pull back, keeping 300 within touching distance going into the half.

A coachless team and a voiceless team, luckily they had stand in's.
300's senior Kuan Yang and self proclaimed coach for the day, Lin Ken were seen at both camps giving prep talk hoping to outplay each other after the break.

Once again, it was 300 with a miserable start.
It has became much of a trend for unfortunate teams to taste the bitterness having stroke twice by the unforgiving lightning of unluckiness. June who finished serving her penalty, didn't heed the example of Rose who was punished earlier, instead she followed her team mates footsteps and was sent to the penalty bench again for incorrectly entering of the rink. A silly or an innocent one, the lack of knowledge in the rules of Floorball is certainly stumbling 300's quest.

300 has finally given up on their time wasting tactic, waiting for their comrade to return from suspension and decided to attack even with 4. It was a dangerous mission, and they nearly fallen further behind when James Tan was clear and unmarked at the far post, connected with the ball but couldn't direct pass the diving goalie as it went well wide.

It was a golden opportunity, one they would have live to regret if it wasn't for the miss by Michael. The wheel of fortune rolled, and this time, it was Firebrands turn to get hammered by a penalty shot for guess what? Yes, playing in the crease! 300 sent out their best, Michael for the penalty, against Bryan Koh, who was once a trainee under Frontliners.

Well, Frontliners would most probably have a slight regret seeing the former trainee forcing Michael wide and shut out the boy's low shot with a nice dive. The decent save followed with a loud roar from the Firebrands' contingent. At least they can be proud of their coaching product!

Nevertheless, the game continued with 300 pressing hard on Firebrands but only to suffer another blow when Michael who was dropped down to defence slipped while charging in for a block, instinctively swept the ball, a lying play, 2 minutes that is. They must be cursing their luck!

Firebrands once again prefer to sit back with possession, looking satisfied with the one goal lead, hoping the final whistle would be blown while 300 too resorted to time wasting tactic while they waited for their main man to step back in.

Time flows bit by bit, 300 battling hard for the equaliser, shots all around, but against an equally desperate Firebrands put their lives on the line, protecting their precious lead.

Just when it seems there was no hope to penetrate Firebrands goal, step up Michael. 300 was about to take their trademark free hit which was rather predictable now, Firebrands was of course aware of it and close him down quick, but this time, the apprentice(Mike) was a yard quicker and release the drag. It seems to go higher and over the crossbar but a sudden dip saw the ball hit the back of the net, top corner. Goal. One his master(Kuan Yang) would have been proud of. Bryan was late to react as his vision was probably block by his defenders.

2-2.
An equaliser!! 300's bench rushed in and stacked onto Michael who was visibly relief. A glimmer of hope, a win is still possible.

It's all back to square one, and Firebrands who had fought had keeping the lead are now fighting to keep up the pace with their tired legs against the on fire 300 who were on riot. Waves of shots driven towards Firebrands shaky defense match with relief sigh seeing 300 missing the rebounds and ecstatic cheer when Bryan Koh produces some marvelous saves.

The closest 300 got was when Mekanath drifted wide on away from his marker in the centre and power a shot toward the top corner. There was no reaction from the keeper as the ball dipped close towards the goal who was either sleeping or unaware. Then, out of nowhere, he stretch his arm and palmed the ball away. It was a late but great saved, and the crowd and benches burst out with mix reaction, 300 with agony; Firebrands roaring.

It was the last act of the match as the final whistle sounded moments later.
Final score: 2-2. The first draw ever in Div 2.

The game ended 2 a piece with the point shared. Both teams would be disappointed but Firebrands definitely the happier side recording their first point ever in their first outing, while 300 devastated with their title hopes gone. They are virtually out of medal contention having to grab win and nothing less in their last match against the newly crown Div 2 league champions, Ztec Phoenix. Mathematical it is still possible for a sliver if they beat the champions but all odds are against them. Although their generosity would be much appreciated by their counterparts.

Frontliners 300
This is so what familiar, a looked-to-be a sure win match to win a medal did quite turn out as expected. What went wrong?

Well, it was more of what didn't went right?
The centre didn't went right. Michael was well marked out by the likes of Andrew and James and contributed little compared to the other games. Although two moments of individual brilliance saw him on the score sheet and my my, how important were those two!

The forwards didn't went right. This pretty much goes for most if not all the teams. There was just now enough link up play. Crosses from either flanks were not meet with a forward in the centre and lack of rebounders for loose shots. It pretty much contributed towards 300's down fall as with their main man marked out, they need to step up and fill the void. If they had taken their chances, the scoreline might have been different.

The concentration wasn't right. This refers to both actually. For 300, the two goals conceded were pretty crappy by any standard. And the silly bench penalties were just too much as the momentum of play couldn't take off. Not to mention the nervy moments leading to the penalty shot and opportunities for Firebrands which weren't converted.

It result sums up 300's chances of landing a medal as the newly crowned Div 2 Champions are on their way. With Bullets on 2nd, and Dalat sniffing behind, only a win will secure them a medal now. Even a draw will see them empty ended having inferior internal goal difference compared to Bullets and Falcons, assuming Falcons win theirs.

In short, they screwed it up. Again.

MoM:
Michael might have scored the goals, Soon Khai might have produced quality saves, but both were seriosly under par by their standards. The player who have been consistent rising up in our books was June Kew.

The girl have improved week by week, and have surprised the panel with here tenacious defending. If it wasn't for Michael's headline-catchy performance she would have been up here in weeks before.

Although she was penalised for playing inside the crease and subsequently conceded the needless bench penalty for incorrect entering of the rink, her no nonsense defending with her aggressive body checkings(a family trait of the Kew's) and tireless covering runs would have redeemed her of her sins.

With 300's medal hopes on the line, she would be one of those which the team would be banking on to upset the odds against Pheonix. Keep it up.

Firebrands:
A very impressive performance, considering their inexperience, technical inability and coachless situation. The latter was largely unfelt with self-substituted coach roaring at the spectator bench.

The winless Firebrands came into the game seemly having a point to prove as they overran 300 early on and sit on their lead. They stunned them again almost instantly after 300 equalised but was deny a win by Michael's superb shot.

The underdogs played with a lot of spirit especially Andrew and James who were both quick to close down incoming attacks in their half. The goalie was much tested in the game, especially in the second period when the gung ho 300 fired all cylinders in search of a win, but Bryan was up for the task, deny them with a strings of marvelous saves, notable the last one, a late diving palm.

Lin Ken experience definitely helps and it was evident with his man marking and time wasting tactics. A favour Firebrands would be grateful for while 300 cursed behind.

With their last match against Dalat, can they deferred their great run and continued it? Can they spring up another surprise? Can they once again crush their opponents' medal hopes? We shall see.

MoM:
Andrew, Alex, Daniel and Bryan all played well in this match and are all possible candidates, but amongst all, one stood out, James Tan.

He was being pinned pointed out as one of the key forwards in Firebrand's league campaign but an absence from the first match and followed by a series of mediocre performance as a centre kept the panel wondering.

However, against 300, he came out of his hole as a third defender and played the true centre role. With his superior fitness, he was all around the court. Bombarding forward in support of Daniel, back tracking to cover the defense and closing down in coming attacks, limiting the chances of M2M of 300.

His mad-man-running was peerless and it reminded the Man Utd fanatic Jose of "Oxygen Tank"- Park Ji Sung. Hope he can carry on to his last match and future matches to come.

Match Preview: 2 Points, Its Now or Never

Frontliners 300 vs Firebrands

Date: 7th March 2009 (Saturday)
Face-off Time: 11.00am
Venue: Dalat International School

The big, fat '0' in Firebrands' point column is in fact, very misleading.

Pushovers?

No way, man.

Around this time last year, Frontliners Trojans (rebranded 300 this year) were winless and had a minus 42 goal difference. Compared to this year... 12 goals are nothing-lah.

But however much the goal difference, how the fortunes have reversed. Frontliners 300 have gladly placed their whipping boys tag onto Firebrands' shoulders, and even now, are quietly contending for, can-you-believe-it, a medal position. And yet it all hinges on how they perform against the league's bottom-propping team.

Win, and confidence shoots sky-high for their final game against Phoenix; a do-or-die game. Draw, and most of their hopes for a medal position go up in flames. Lose, and resign any thought of medals, not forgetting the embarassment.

But as for Firebrands, for what has been the case throughout the league: they have nothing to lose. And so far, this mental state has pushed them to fight all the way and defy the odds. To a certain extent.

In terms of gameplay, the similarities trump the dissimilarities. Both teams rely on individuals to see them through. Goalscorers? Matchwinners? For both, take your pick of Michael from 300 or Daniel from Firebrands. Both teams are comprised of three or more tiny players who wear the jersey but don't play. Both teams lack experience and depth.

However, Firebrands back three (James included) are tall, hulking, and strong if compared to 300's three forwards, Julian, Tristan, and skinny Megan. 300 might have the edge in technique and skills, but this physical advantage about cancels it out.

The main worry for Firebrands is probably the center court. In the last few games, James was more of a third defender rather than a center. Their three-man wall certainly proved nearly impenetrable from long-ranged shots-- one of Michael's specialties. However, the center was left worryingly open for their opponents to exploit, forcing Daniel Tan to be a makeshift center, left forward and right forward all rolled into one.

For 300, as said above, their main concern would be their forwards, and whether they will be outmuscled by Firebrands' defence. No doubt about it, Megan will be a happy man tomorrow, running and exploiting Firebrand's lack of width, but up against the robust Andrew, can he stand his ground? If Michael is cancelled out, like most of the time against Ztec Griffins, will the forwards step up and carry his burden, or will they go missing and leave an empty void up in front?

It will be a very interesting matchup tomorrow, and you can be sure that Phoenix, Falcons and Bullets will be looking on eagerly too.

Key players:
Frontliners 300:
Michael Cheah.

Well, I mean, duh.

He can change the whole complexion of the game with just one shot. His tireless running, endless determination and burning passion to win has so far brought forth dividend. And, believe me, he will be determined to wrest back that top spot in the points chart as soon as he can.

Long shots might not be so effective against a resolute Firebrands defence, so he can either choose to go ahead like a battering ram and bruise the defenders with his shots and hope that he gets lucky, or change his approach to the game and go for something different instead.

This game, and his team, need him to play smart tomorrow.

Firebrands:
Daniel Tan. Also a tireless runner; also possesses endless determination and burning passion to win. Who will trump who in the battle of the Saints?

Scoring mostly poacher's goals, he will find joy tomorrow, running at 300's not-so-athletic defenders and hoping they make mistakes. But with hardly any support, he will need to think fast and see how far he can test Soon Khai's reflexes.

Firebrands need him if they are to cause an upset tomorrow.

Predictions:
Jose:
Both teams need maximum points out of this match. 2 points for 300 will allow them to challenge Ztec Phoenix for the Division 2 title, while 2 points for Firebrands will ensure that they would not finish the league without any points.

In my opinion, this is the 'last chance' for Firebrands to get their must needed win, because they have faster and more aggressive players on court. And I seriously doubt they will be able to get a win in the last game of the season playing against the mighty Dalat Falcons. Will they take their chance? We shall find out tomorrow.

This game will be tight and I see Frontliners scrapping through by a goal or 2. And with Firebrands scoring 3 goals in their last outing against Ztec Phoenix, their confidence should be sky high coming into this match. I disagree with Carrard on the scoreline, no chance for 300 to keep a clean sheet in this game. (I sincerely hope Soon Khai will be able to prove me wrong.)

Carrard:
It will be tight; it will be ugly, it will be scrappy. But the center is the key-- and 300 have the perfect man for it in Michael. There is only so long that Firebrands can hold out while massing their defence, 20 minutes per half can seem a very long time, in some cases. Still going coach-less by the sidelines as Jason will be coaching 300, my instinct is for Frontliners to survive a few scares but still keep that clean sheet and win by a few goals.

To be precise, 2-0 to 300.

Player Rating: Firebrands vs Ztec Phoenix

5 = world class
4 = superb
3 = good
2 = ok ok
1 = bad

Firebrands:
Gk:
Bryan Koh 2
Again was the man to stop the goals. Not his best performance, had many good saves but could have at least prevented one. No complains, 6 against title contenders is decent.

Defenders:
Alex Low 2
Defended well and a whole lot calmer than in his previous game, coming clean without any bench penalties. Although still quite sloppy with the centre passes.

Andrew Chan 3
Firebrands wall with motor engine. Good defending, enough pressure and many good blocks. ble to wriggle himself out of tight situations, when cornered by two players, then was composed enough to pass up well.

Attackers:
Ong Zi Hoong 2
Remarkable play compared to his previous ones. Had possessions of the ball as forward and took 4 shots, though none were converted to goals.

Daniel Tan 4
Ever willing to run all over for the ball, but this occasionally backfired as he failed to backtrack. Still, took hold of Phoenix's sluggish play and defensive errors to score 2 goals for his own team. He will be a good player if trains well!

James Tan 2
Played more as a defender rather than a centre as he hardly ventured out of his own half. Good defending and blocking but failed to dictate the centre. Was rather wasteful with passes too.

Chan Per Yue 3
For a tiny boy, he can definitely run. Helped the team scored a goal! Given the encouragement and enough exposure, he will definitely become a better player as the time goes by.

Tong Jia Wey 2

Tong Jia Xin 2

Jesher Lim (Did not play enough to be rate)

Ztec Phoenix:
Gk:
Yung Ming 2
Could not save the team from conceding 2 goals that just rolled smoothly into the back of the net. His boldness has cost him some goals as he came charging out too often. Needs more games to fine tune the anticipation. He had better days.

Defenders:
Cherng Hang 2
Sloppy passes to the centre, gifting opponents scoring chances. A continuation from the last match, which was evident with his unsure defending. Showed good forward instinct however as more than once, he dribbled the ball up and took the shot from half court.

Jack Lee 3
Stood up when others were fading. One of their best defender for the match. Very calm and collected when handling the ball and pressure from opponent. Keep it up!

Attackers:
Teik Hong 2

Adrian Koay 3
The Captain was ever calm and composed. The resilient centre although lacks in flair, compliments with his vision and work rate. Continue to improve as weeks passes. Decent game.

Samuel Ong 2

Calvindav 2
One of his better game but still too much solo effort; rarely was he seen passing the ball to his teammates. The only credit is that he helped the team scored a few goals. More passes maybe?

Wei Jin 2
Lacking in overall floorball sense and experience. A bit nervous. More matches will do him go.

Kelvin Tan 2

Danial 2
One of his not so better plays. Missed many passes by team mates, credit for getting himself into good positions for a shot.

p/s: Borak Borak Floorball is proud to present you: Flicka, Kazoo and Carrard. Thanks for backing us up!

Match Review: Killing the Fire ain't e-Z.

Firebrands vs Ztec Phoenix
3-6 (2-3, 1-3)

First period:
01:25 Daniel Tan
02:52 Adrian Koay
07:02 Samuel Ong
09:52 Calvindav
16:33 Chan Per Yue

Second period:
21:46 Calvindav ( Kelvin Tan )
26:42 Adrian Koay
33:24 Daniel Tan
34:37 Kelvin Tan

Bench Penalties:
Firebrands 2 mins x 1
Ztec Phoenix N/A

The floorball is round.
Still, round or not, it was pretty hard to see anything other than a comfortable win for Phoenix.
But boy, oh, boy, did Firebrands give them a run for their money.
And how better to make your statement of intent than to open the scoring?

The first warning sign by Firebrands was when Daniel Tan, fired a shot over, after Phoenix’s first of many defensive blunders, merely seconds into the match. Phoenix returned fire cautiously, Captain Adrian firing in a low shot which was easily blocked by James.

A minute and a half into the game, and Daniel capitalized on Phoenix’s poor defence. Pouncing onto a pass to the centre by Wei Jin, he coolly slipped the ball under the advancing Yung Ming.

However, even with the goal, it seemed inevitable that Phoenix would eventually score, and score they did when Adrian Koay hit a first-timer past keeper Bryan Koh.

It would prove to be a relatively clean match, and the closest Phoenix came to a bench penalty was when Chern Harng was given a stern warning for slashing.

Though back to square one, Firebrands pressed on while Phoenix gave way, and Zi Hoong of Firebrands was guilty of missing three gilt-edged chances consecutively, the second being the most glaring miss after a Phoenix mishit.

Firebrands paid the price for their wastefulness when Samuel’s shot sneaked under Bryan, who could have done better to prevent the goal.

The one and only bench penalty of the game was Daniel’s honour to receive after intentionally moving to block Yung Ming’s throw.

Phoenix capitalized on their advantage and made it 3-1 against four men, when Calvindav scored low after a messy tussle in front of Bryan’s goal.

It was all Phoenix now—a confident and flying Phoenix, boosted by that insurance goal. Shots came flying in from all directions, and Bryan, not helped by Alex’s risky passes into the centre, made a few great saves to keep the score at 3-1. Little Danial’s first meaningful contribution in the game was a beauty of a layback right to Adrian who was open in the centre, but from five meters out he skied it—a horrible miss.

And Firebrands clawed their way back into the game after tiny Per Yue, unnoticed by Wei Jin and Chern Harng, picked up the ball after a defensive mix-up and rolled the ball past the advancing Yung Ming. A very lookalike goal to Daniel’s earlier opener.

Half time, and at 2-3, the game was far from over.

At the start of the second half, yet another defensive error by Phoenix gave Firebrands an early chance, with Zi Hoong free on goal with only the keeper to beat. Yung Ming, doing so the first and second times and conceding on both occasions, again chose to advance, and this time he was able to block Zi Hoong’s shot.

Phoenix regained their two-goal advantage after Calvindav hit in his second goal low across Bryan after being allowed all the time and space in the world near goal.

Play was then stopped for a bizarre, one-of-a-kind incident when Danial wore a cap into the court. Referee James stopped play and kindly asked him to remove it before resuming play again.

Possession was mostly with Phoenix, but the goal that came was no beauty. Far from that. Instead, it was a scrappy, bouncy and messy goal by Adrian who finally made contact with the treacherous ball in front of the goal. Not pretty, but a goal nonetheless, and Phoenix would take it any way it came.

Complacency slowly crept into Phoenix’s game and let Firebrands, especially Daniel Tan, running all over them. Phoenix failed to heed the warning signs, and Daniel punished lax Teik Hong with a splendid tackle to rob him of the ball, then setting off, he weaved past the onrushing defenders and smashed in an unstoppable shot into Yung Ming’s top right corner for an exquisite goal.

3-5, but any hopes of a fairytale comeback were dashed when Kelvin scored a first-timer with his backhand after yet another scramble in front of the goal.

Play then degenerated into boring passes and routine defending, with Phoenix complacent and Firebrands despairing.

Final score, Firebrands 3-6 Phoenix.

Firebrands:
Firebrands continued the Division 2 trend of starting out as underdogs, pushing their opponents all the way but finally succumbing in the end.

Despite not having their known-to-be-loud Coach by their side, they played to their utmost ability, pouring out bucketloads of sweat (especially Andrew Chan, his entire shirt was soaked) in their quest for their first win. What the Firebrands lacked in skill and seniority, they made it up with their determination and persistence.

Their defence was very well marshalled by James and Alex, forming a tight three-man ring right in front of the goal. This tactic got Phoenix narrower and narrower until play was very concentrated in the middle areas. Long shots were easily blocked, but Firebrands were slow to clear the loose ball, and thus let in three goals from loose balls.

In attack, Firebrands quadrupled their existing goal tally, punishing Phoenix for their carelessness in defence. Daniel, Per Yue and Zi Hoong proved willing runners for the ball although they were visibly tired out as the end-game approached.

Firebrands have shown gradual improvement as the weeks go by, putting three past Phoenix while Dalat Falcons, with 08’s top scorer Drew, could only score one. With great team spirit and attitude, they are definitely not to be taken lightly. Overall, their only setback was lack of ball control and physical fitness. But given two years for the young boys to grow in their physique and consistent training, they will soon catch up!

For Firebrands’ next game, what was a certain win for Frontliners 300 a few weeks ago now looks very much in doubt.

MoM:
Daniel Tan, without a doubt. This boy is so cool that, even when the ball is bouncing near and around, he stands there patient, waiting for the others to fumble. And when they do, he bursts into action with great acceleration, bringing the ball from one end of the court to another.

He played almost the whole match and topped off an impressive performance with a lovely goal.
Could have done more backtracking, though.

Ztec Phoenix:
Game started. Sluggish play. Defensive error. Conceded a goal. Shocked. Picked up their momentum a bit. Played a little harder. Scored a goal. Back to sluggish play. Defensive error. Conceded another goal. Shocked. Picked up their momentum a bit. Played harder. Scored 2nd goal. Back to sluggish play…

The win was almost guaranteed. Just how they were going to go about it was the question. And it wasn’t the stuff of legends. It was the regular, knock-down, hard way to win. Almost production-line like; the way they churned out the victory.

Was it because of the fact that their Coach wasn’t around?
Or were they too over-confident, playing against kids?
Or was it still too early to play on a Saturday morning?

Most of the players were anonymous at the start of the game; only Wei Jin stood out, and for all the wrong reasons. As the game wore on, Capt Adrian, in his quiet and workmanlike manner, worked his way up beside Michael on top of the scorers’ charts, and Calvindav increased his goal tally to four.

Phoenix were quite comfortable all around as Firebrands massed their players in the sentence, but this meant that Phoenix’s players were quite spread out, giving Daniel, Zi Hoong and Per Yue space to run in between the centre and defence.

On the other hand, Phoenix restrained themselves considerably if compared to their last two games. Very few fouls were called their way.

They still won the game, but definitely under-performed for a team that has been dubbed to be next Champions.

Up next is Contact Bullets, who put eight past Firebrands, and it will most certainly interesting to see how individual brilliance(Phoenix) is pitted against organised team effort (Bullets). Let’s see first if Ter Min can get that shaky defence sorted out.

MoM:
A close fight, between the quietly authoritative Adrian and fancy footwork Calvinda. Both had many chances, both squandered many (Calvindav pips Adrian in this), both scored twice. However, it is the Captain who gets the vote, as his overall play speaks more of ‘team’ compared to Calvindav whose play was mostly individualistic.

Not his best performance, but, as epitomizes the whole Phoenix team: he did just enough.

p/s: Borak Borak Floorball is proud to present you: Flicka, Kazoo and Carrard. Thanks for backing us up!

Match Preview: David versus Goliath

Firebrands vs Ztec Phoenix

Date: 21Feb (Saturday)
Face-off time: 11.00am
Venue: Dalat International School

Phoenix are top in the league with points tied with 300, who scrap through with a 2-1 win against their juniors but edge over with superior goal difference. Their opponent, the total opposite, are sitting right at the bottom, winless with a solitary goal. No matter how you look at it, all odds are against Firebrands. This is a David versus Goliath.

The league leaders are keen to register another win to increase their lead and they are most definitely on course to achieve it. Phoenix boast a well balance team. An experience and confident goalie providing rear guard; and a pool of outfield players with decent Floorball basics, the only thing stopping them hitting top gear is incisive team play.

The game against Falcons has shown that they are capable of handling the big guys, there are no complains over their fitness, the only concern is the consistency in crafting penetrative game play and of course, finish it.

Firebrands, new to the game, and it is no surprise they are at the bottom of the league. But mind you, they never did go down without a fight! Especially with a spirited Spartan as their coach. And like every team, they too have a few individuals that may make an impact in the game. Bryan who has been solid in goal, Daniel and Andrew has impressed both up front and down in defence.

With Asia Pacific Floorball Championships(APAC) around the corner, all national players are away for centralised training, which means both teams with be without their bosses.
No Jason Chan to roar the Firebrands, can their keep their sprits high? Can they hang on?
No Ter Min to guide the Phoenix, will they be mentally "kuat"? Can they push on?

On paper, without their coaches, Phoenix is by far the better team. Firebrands? Damage control. But , then, games are not won on paper, aren't they? And David did won.

Key players:
Firebrands:
Bryan has been Firebrands' most consistent preformers throughout the league, and the boy has been ever present in goal. 10 goals might have been conceded, for a total rookie team, consider it an reasonable achievement.

It will definitely be an uphill task to keep out the goals against Phoenix team, but what more can you ask for from a player when he has gave his best. Keep doing what you are doing.

Ztec Phoenix:
Like Bryan, Adrian has been his team's most consistent. The Captain although not shining, has been quietly leading the team his up the ladder. He has been decent in the centre, scoring goals in process.

Now, he has a stern test ahead, to lead his team in the absence of the coaches.
Will his leadership and quality enough to see Phoenix through the match?
Can he control his hot-headed teammates?
Or will they struggle?
We shall see.

Predictions:
Jose:
I will go for Ztec Phoenix (which in my opinion would be crown Division 2 champions this season) to win it by 3-0 or more. Phoenix has speedy defenders that should neutralize any form of attack coming for Firebrands. And on the other end of the court, they should be able to constantly put Firebrands under alot of pressure.

Other than that, the players from Ztec Phoenix has been playing for a much longer time compared to their opponents, which also means technically speaking they should have better floorball skills and sense compared to Firebrands.

Nevertheless with this prediction, I still hope Firebrands will go all the way in this league with a "never say die" attitude, which I have seen from them since day one of the league.

Firebrands, I applaude your team's courage. Keep up this good spirit and soon your team will get better and better.

Bendy:
Throughout the league, we have seen the coaches dominating the match with their high pitch/ thunder loud roaring on their players. This is the first time, we'll be seeing the bench without the teams leader figure. Finally, for once, the person with the armband is to step up and put his "Captain" title into good use.

It would an interesting game to see the Captains filling in for the coaches, and how they lead their team, which I think will have a huge effect on their mental strength.

Leadership aside, Firebrands vs Phoenix, I'll have to go for the league leaders, I don't see the slipping of in this game. Credit to Firebrands for their never-say-die attitude, but I believe Phoenix's experience will be able to see them through. An easy win for Phoenix, probably goals abundance.

Player Rating: Firebrands vs Ztec Griffins

5 = world class
4 = superb
3 = good
2 = ok ok
1 = bad

Firebrands:
Gk:
Bryan Koh 3
The keeper was again in rich vein of form with saves after saves, keeping Firebrands in the lead for long periods of time. 2 unlucky goals due to inexperience in floorball rules and free hit was not the best reward for the man in form.

Defenders:
Alex Low 2
A good effort by the capt who was like a raging lion on court, gave his best, but the lack of experience really took a bad toll as he was sent off 3 times, one which let in the equalizer.

Andrew Chan 3
The steel in the heart of Firebrand’s defence. Picked up where he left off from the game against Bullets and was resolute in keeping Griffin’s at back. Less fouls committed compared to his team mates.

Attackers:
James Tan 2
Finally unleashed after missing the opening match. Rarely challenge the Griffins with his speed and strength as he ended up staying back and help out in defense holding on to the lead.

Daniel Tan 3
Firebrands’ heat ball-seeking missile up front, giving the Griffins a really hard time with his intense forechecking, conceding them to mistakes which lead to scoring opportunities. Firebrands’ first and only goal for the league was from his solo effort after winning the ball combining with some defensive mix up.

Chan Per Yue 2
It is always a joy to see young cikus like the boy expressing himself on court. Pretty decent in his technique. More games for him coach.


Jouhua Tong Jia Xin 2

Marc Tong Jia Wey (Did not play enough to be rated)

Ztec Griffins:
Gk:
Leo Nard 2
Didn't have much to do, although he could have done better dealing with the first goal. Made a big big helmet save in the dying minutes to prevent Firebrands from getting the equalizer.

Defenders:
Gim Hoong 2
A total different person compared to the game against the Phoenix. Must have left his oxygen tank back home as the boy was shopping all over the court. Other than the odd run up front, the defender lack drive and enthusiasm which was much need against a stubborn Firebrands.

Brandon Pereira 3
A switch of roles, as it was Brandon with the attacking runs forward this time around and did not neglect his defensive duties. He was strong in the Ztec Griffins defence, other than the silly sending off for playing without a stick. Assisted the equalising goal.

Wayne Tan (Did not play enough to be rated)

Attackers:
Amos Lim 2
Like Gim Hoong, tried hard but was always second in all the mid section challenges. Sort of redeemed himself as it was his assist from a free hit that led to the winning goal.

Dominic Ewe 3
This boy was contantly charging into Firebrands defenders and closing down alot of spaces in the Firebrands zone. on the move and had numerous scoring opportunity before finally slotting in the equalizer. Keep it up.

Yuh Ting 3
She ran tirelessly on court closing down the defenders. Had a few decent shots at goal, which could have resulted in goals. Definately a very encouraging effort from this new floorball player. Keep up the good work!

Daniel Boey 2
A decent game for the boy but caught the headlines with his decisive winning goal and rob Firebrands off with all 2 points.

Ruth Chua (Did not play enough to be rated)

Jia Yen (Did not play enough to be rated)

Match Review: A Pricey Lesson of Floorball

Firebrands vs Ztec Griffins
1-2(1-0, 0-2)

First Period:
11:34 Daniel Tan

Second Period:
27:33 Dominic Ewe( Brandon Pereira )
33:35 Daniel Boey ( Amos Lim )

Bench Penalties:
Firebrands 2mins x 6
Ztec Griffins 2mins x 1

Two of the bottom teams fought as if they were the best in the league - tough and rough, dramatic and heart-wrenching, fouls and more fouls...
That was the scene at Dalat International School Indoor court last night.

Both teams started off considerably slow. As predicted, both were too conscious about letting in the first goal, thus, succumbing to a defensive and passive gameplay. What was prominent though was the amount of slashing that was called for - uncountable. It definitely disrupted the rhythm of the game and distracted the attention of the spectators.

Griffins though deemed by many the better of the two, showed little signs of a champion. They showed little zest in bringing the ball forward and taking very few shots at goal. Players were seen walking around showing the lack of urgency to smash in the first goal. Firebrands punished them with a rather messy goal. Firebrands little mischief, Daniel Tan, who did the work of two up front, pounce onto a defensive mixed up, catching Griffins' keeper, Leo Nard, offguard as the ball awkwardly fumbled and calmly rolled into the goal, much to the horror of the keeper.

The Baby of the league grabbed the lead.
Surprise, surprise indeed.

Truth be told, the referees had a hard time on court. Numerous fouls were made by both teams as tension escalate; incorrect distance, pushing, and the foul of the day - slashing. The goal by Firebrands was the turning point of the match, slapping Griffins to wake up from their aimless runs and firing Firebrands with greater confidence.

Griffins began to show signs of desperation and urgency, executing shots from every corner. Several close calls but they just couldn't find the extra edge to put the ball at the back of the net.

Frustration started to manifest through their body language.

Just before the half time whistle was blown, number Joshua Tong of Firebrands was slammed with a bench penalty for incorrect distance. Soon after, Griffins' Brandon joined him for playing without a stick. 4 vs 4.

The first period ended with a surprising lead by Firebrands.

The second half started with 4-a-side. Both teams had a bench penalty awarded to them. Firebrands started off viciously with Chan Per Yue, taking a shot in front of goal that made the spectators screaming "GOAAAAL!".

From the spectators view, it seemed as if the ball has rolled in, much to their disappointment.

Griffin lack of concentration almost gave Firebrands a second goal advantage as they fumbled numerous times in front of goal. Poor defending by the seemingly more experience team.

Alex Low of Firebrands received a bench penalty for incorrect distance and it almost cost his team dearly. Amos quickly took the free hit by passing it straight to Dominic, who was left unmarked Firebrands defenders. He unleashed a very hard shot but once again, luck wasn't on their side as the ball went straight to the cross bar, leaving nothing but a resounding gong.

Soon enough, Griffins caught the rhythm of the game.Players were more comfortable pressing harder up front.

Dominic once again was granted an open chance, literally.

He stood about few inches away from the goal mouth when Bryan, Firebrands' keeper, was already out of position to recover. All he needed to do was to tap the ball in but inexperience paid the price. He took way too long to release a shot and by then the ball was scrambled away.

Danger wasn't over yet as the ball conveniently landed at the stick of Yuh Ting who took a good solid shot but only to be saved by the hands of Bryan.

The intensity on court was at its peak by now. Players were lunging in against one another.

Coaches were giving orders to every player.

And a crucial mistake by Firebrand's Capt, Alex Low for pushing a fellow Griffin cost him another 2 minutes bench penalty.

This time, it cost even his team.

Brandon took a free hit and pass it to Dominic who was standing in front of goal wide open, unmarked, and with sheer power, bank the goal into the net. A much deserved goal for Dominic who worked his socks off up front.

No chance for Bryan. Firebrands' rather messy defending and lack of concentration left them leveled out with Griffin.

1-1.

Coach Oliver and Jo-Wyee of Griffins calls for a time-out. With a 50-50 chance now, it was time to give his players the pep talk they needed to win it back from Firebrands after trailing behind for almost 1 and a half period.

After the time out, both teams were head on.

The match was swinging left to right as both showed a hunger to grab back the advantage. Shots were taken from both teams from almost every corner of the court. It was like a ping-pong match.

Daniel took a shot that went past the right post by just an inch. At the other end, Gim took a shot from the centre which Bryan saved. Dominic worked Bryan again with a dipping shot.

Then there was that bizarre goal.

Griffin was awarded a free hit from their own half and Brandon, excitedly took the free hit with a really good shot that somehow ended up in the net.

What a goal!?

Unfortunately, Brandon took it a wee bit too early. The referees disallowed the goal. This goes for now reading the rule book. Apparently, it was a sending off situation as Daniel Tan's repeated slashes finally earned him a bench penalty. The ball is to be played by the referees whistle after the sending off is dealt with. It was good sport though.

Just into the last 8 minutes or so, Daniel found himself at the right place at the right time as the ball rolled on to his stick. It was now or never for the Griffins. Daniel exerted every bit of energy that's left in his body into his hands and translate it to his stick, discharging a shot that left the net judder.

The Griffin did it. They bounce back from a 1-0 scoreline.

1-2.

But the game wasn't over. Firebrands still manage to press hard as the last few seconds ticks away. Their effort came close but just wasn't close enough. The final whistle was blown. Expression of joy and relieve from Griffins, dejected faces from Firebrands.

The final score 1-2.

Though it was a painful give away for Firebrands, they manage to keep the scoreline tight. But with a series of sending off by the inexperience Firebrands, the Griffins' took their chances in the second half and made them count. A price they play for lacking of knowledge of floorball rules, a total of 6 expulsions compared to 1 for Griffins.

Though loads of foul were committed, it was still a very entertaining match. Great sport from both teams. A a kind reminder by the refs, revise the rule book!

Firebrands:
The following matches will be tough for them. Losing two games straight won't make things easy.
However, credit must be given to them for their enthusiasm on court. Sometimes, a bit uncontrolled but nonetheless, great spirit.

In defense, their lack of experience and knowing where to position themselves proved to be the weak link. So many times, one or even two Griffin players were left unguarded in the hot zone. Defenders were too concern of "shielding" the goal post rather that closing in on the attackers. Although it was the silly sending off that brought them into that situation in the first place, both goals converted by Griffin was the result of such defending.

Offensively, forwards were taking chances with loads of shots. Whether the finishing is crucial enough or not, it's hard to judge as most of their forwards are still rookies.

Good effort by their young players though. However, they could learn and try to release the shots quicker for the upcoming matches. Sometimes, the forwards may take too long a time to unleash a shot.

Firebrands will have to continue to stay mentally strong for upcoming matches. Learn from previous matches and move on. Continue the great spirit on court and you may just clinch your first win in the following match!

MoM:
The Man Of the Match for this game will have to be Daniel Tan for constantly running at the Ztec Griffins defenders. He managed to caused alot of confusion for the Ztec defenders as he was everywhere on the court.

His effort and speed makes him our choice for Man of Match. With better ball control and shots, he should become a dangerous player which will terrorized opposing team's defenders.

Ztec Griffins:
Started off the game rather disappointingly. Displayed lacklustre performance in the first half. A team with good potential and with experience in hand, it should have been a breeze for them. Over confident, maybe.

It took them quite a while to get their game going.

The surprising goal by Firebrands was their wake up call.

Defensively, rather poor. Gim Hoong could have commanded his defenders to be a little more organize but somehow it didn't happen and this resulted to several scramble and fumble in front of goal. Good thing Leo Nard was on form.

Offensively, Dominic and Amos seemed to possess good chemistry. However, their finishing could have been much better, especially Dominic. Their pressure on top was good.

With their first win, it will definitely boost their spirit. But still a lot of work to be done. Looks like Coach Oliver and Jowyee's pep talk worked!

MoM:
Without a doubt, Dominic Ewe. Like Daniel Tan of Firebrands, he was running his lungs out and constantly putting himself in 'danger' by getting stuck-in with bigger sized defenders. Never afraid for a challenge as he put pressure on the Firebrands defenders throughout the match.

His good positioning warrant him the equalizer which his team so badly needed at that point of time. Well done, Dominic!

Match Preview: Firebrands vs Ztec Griffins

Firebrands vs Ztec Griffins

Date: 10th Feb 2009 (Tuesday)
Face-off Time: 7.45pm
Venue: Dalat International School

Two teams at the bottom fighting for survival and pride. It'll be interesting to see this two teams compete because if you look at it, both teams are more or less at the same par in terms of technique and tactic. For Firebrands, they may be the baby of the league -- newly formed nearly a year ago during the Youthwave Tripple Challenge 2008 -- but they are passionate about the game and is currently guided by Coach Jason Chan. On the other hand, Griffins who are slightly more experienced is guided by that ever so animated Coach Oliver.

Both teams lost in their previous match. It's hard to predict who will have the upper hand in this game. In terms of gameplay, it will be more or less a hit-and-run game. Both teams are generally new, without any strong sense of floorball on court just yet.

Firebrands and Griffins will definitely be lacking in confidence tonight. However, the only way either team is going to grab the advantage from the other is to play with sheer confidence and go for the attack from the start of the game. The team that takes the most shots at goal will have the upper hand. With the lack of technique from each player, it's all about taking chances and unleashing good hard shots. Accuracy is secondary for now.


Key Player:
Firebrands:
With such an inexperience back line against a Griffins who had a decent game and raring to go, Bryan Koh might have some work to do. Looking at a lost, the keeper's form is much crucial for damage control

Ztec Griffins:
Griffins's pacey defender, Gim Hoong will most probably get more chances going forward against Firebrands and might nick a goal of two with his penetrative runs. However, he might have be alert not to get caught off guard by Firebrands' senior forwards who will most likely be unleashed on Tuesday after missing the first game.

Predictions:
Bendy:
Griffins will have a point to proved after the defeat against Phoenix. Against Firebrands, they are ahead in all department in terms of experience and ability. If they maintained their battling display and play their best players, a win should be assured.

However, if Firebrands release their surprise package with the new forward line, we might see Firebrands giving them a run for their money. How both teams play their lines will be crucial as both teams have relatively weaker second lines. A win for the Griffins I say with a healthy magain.

Jose:
Griffins to win by a slim margin. Both sides has yet to score in their first outing in Div 2 and hopefully they will be able to find the net this time around. As it would be an important morale booster for their teams confidence.

I hope to see both team press higher up the court and put each other on constant pressure, which should be fun to watch. Otherwise, i'm prediciting for a slow and easy game tonight.

Spritzer:
Though Griffins may have a little headstart against Firebrands in terms of experience, I still think the game is equaled out. Firebrands have good big and athletic players, which will definitely come in handy for them and to some extent, compensate their lack in experience. If you asks who will grab their first win -- Well, sorry to disappoint you but I'll go for a draw.

Player Rating: Contact Bullets vs Firebrands

5 = world class
4 = superb
3 = good
2 = ok ok
1 = bad

Contact Bullets
Gk:
Lawrence Tan 2
Error prone. His fumbles almost cost him some goals.

Defenders:
Don Shakir 2

Lim Khai Sheng 2
This boy has some vision, some nice passes and a few dazzling dribbles.

Ethan Yeoh 2

Ang Kim Beng 2
Uneasy at the back. Made a few mistakes, which led to many one on one situations.

Joseph Oon 2

Attackers:
Sheryn Ng 3
Always moving with attacking intent, taking shots but constantly denied by the keeper.

Hai Chin 3
Surprising performance for the night, scoring the goal of the game when she directed an incoming ball in mid air into the net, unknowingly.

Ian Khor 3
3 goals and 1 assist. Went MIA in the 2nd period, and poped out again to complete his hattrick in the final minutes.

Isaac Ng 3
2 nice backhand goals in quick succession.

Isaac Ang 2

Benjamin Lim 2

Sophia Lim 2

Joshua Wong 2

Firebrands
Gk:
Bryan Koh 4
Superb performance keeping the score to 8 when it could easily times 2. Bad throw executions in the 2nd period though.

Defenders:
Andrew Chan 3
Enthusiastic and energetic. Expressed by his constant pressure for the ball up front and when he falls back into defense, his body-check and strength kept the attackers at bay

Ong Zi Hoong 2

Alex Low 2

Attackers:
Chan Per Yue 3
Some nice flicks for someone with less than 5 floorball sessions under his belt.

Tong Jia Xin 2

Tong Jia Wei 2

Jesher Lim Jian Tzin (did not play enough to be rated)

Keeran Shamoon Shabudin 2

Match Review: Fiery Bullets Stings Freshman Firebrands

Contact Bullets vs Firebrands

8-0 (6-0,2-0)

First Period:
05:44 1-0 Ian Khor (Hai Chin)
06:31 2-0 Benjamin Lim (Hai Chin)
07:04 3-0 Sheryn Ng (Ian Khor)
09:11 4-0 Isaac Ng
09:15 5-0 Isaac Ng (Joshua Wong)
14:00 6-0 Ian Khor (Isaac Ang)

Second Period:
23:00 7-0 Hai Chin (Ang Kim Beng)
38:07 8-0 Ian Khor (Sheryn Ng)

Bench Penalties:
Contact Bullets 2x2mins
Firebrands 1x2mins

8 goals went unanswered in the first league match of PFL Div 2 as Contact Bullets cruised to victory against debutant Firebrands. The Bullets large squad started with full strength while Firebrands surprisingly left out a few of the elder players due to internal reasons which proved costly as they were torn apart within minutes of the first period.

It was a shaky start for the Bullets. They were rather unorganised in the early stages of the 1st period, giving Firebrands opportunity to mess around in the hot zone. They would have certainly been punished if they were playing against better teams.

As the clock ticked away, Bullets began to settle down and the Firebrands were given less space to move out from their own half. The first goal scored by Ian Khor, became the turning point of the match. Since then, the goals started to pour in from every corner of the court. Benjamin Lim quickly bagged the second while Sheryn Ng scored the third.

Isaac Ng looked lively as he came on court, scoring 2 well-executed backhand goals in quick succession. Ian Khor then increased his tally before the period ended with Bullets leading 6-0.

Although Contact continued to dominate after the interval, Firebrands’ defense was tighter and less penetrable after the half time team talk. Goalie of the day, Lawrence, was shaky in between the posts, fumbling on numerous occasions. The Bullets look as if they were going to concede when Hai Chin who was in great form (unconsciously) buried the 7th when she directed a shot from the side with her blade in mid air.

After scoring the 7th goal, the players got complacent and made several blunders in defense. Fortunately for them, the Firebrands did not fully capitalize on that due to poor techniques. The Bullets then sealed the score line as Ian Khor completed his hattrick in the final minutes of the match.

Final score 8-0.

Contact Bullets:
Unorganised at the beginning of both periods. Defenders was nervy but settle in well later on by expressing some witty dribbling and threatening passes up front. Watch out for clumsy mistakes in the mid court.

The forwards were on song with countless shots on target denied only by the keeper. It was interesting to see that the majority of the shots were taken with a backhand, a sign that only proves the influence of the backhand master himself at club trainings.

A win as expected with some unexpected inclusion in the team roster.

MoM:
Sheryn Ng. Ian Khor(3+1) and Hai Chin(1+2) might have gotten the headlines, but it was Sheryn Ng who was Bullets’ danger(wo)man. Always dangerous in forward positions and shooting with clear intent. The goals will eventually roll in if she continues to performance.

Firebrands:
Defenders were unclear of their roles, leaving behind a big hole in front of goal for most of the time, leaving all the work to the goalkeeper.

Surprising left out of a few of the more athletic and older players for some internal reasons, Firebrands’ goal scoring chances were near non-existence other than some free chance offered by the Bullets themselves, yet, they were unable to finish.

A spirited performance, but still has a long, long way before displaying some decent Floorball.

MoM:
The score line was not a fair reflection of Firebrand's goalie, Bryan Koh’s performance. The goalie prevented at least twice as much as the goals he conceded. With practically no defense on court, he was constantly called into action. His courageous dive into charging blades and his confidence in both catching and blocking the shots spurred the crowd into life.
Solid game.

Match Preview: Contact Bullets vs Firebrands

Contact Bullets vs Firebrands

Date: 20th January 2009 (Tuesday)
Face-off Time: 7.45pm
Venue: Dalat International School

For the more experience Bullets, it is a game for them to warm up and test their strength. For the Firebrands, a debut match announcing their arrival to the floorball scene. First match in charge for Kenny Khoo with the Bullets, while Coach Jason Chan temporary switches from a F300 to a Firebearer. For the rest of the Floorball family, an eye opener for what is yet to come through out the league.

Looking forward to see Bullets unleash their girl power, finally a full girls line in action in PFL. All the Bullets are well trained and eager to perform. Unlike the Firebrands they know what is expected, ready to fire all the ammo they got.

On the other hand, Firebrands's only possible scoring opition falls on their strongest line, a mix of young adults and teenagers. With kids amidst their bench, can they find cover against Contact's limitless ammo of Bullets?

Key Player:
Contact Bullets:
Sheryn Ng to chip in some goals against the inexperience defense of Firebrands.

Firebrands:
James Tan to power through the Bullets defense and hopefully make some finishes.

Prediction:
Bendy:
It will be a tough game for the defense & goalkeepers at both ends. The Bullets with superior techniques will fire at will but they have to watch out the counter attacks as the Firebrands got some pacey and strong forwards. The difference in technique, experience and squad depth favours the Bullets. Expecting goals from both sides but Bullets to scrap a narrow win against Firebrands.

Jose:
This match should be a stroll in the park for the young Contact Bullets. I foresee them winning by at least 3 goals as I'm predicting Firebrands to go all out against the Bullets, but their efforts will be in vain (maybe scoring 1 or 2 goals). Better finishing and better movement from the more experience Contact players should be able to see off Firebrands and achieve an easy victory over the newly formed team.

Team Preview: Firebrands

Firebrands (Firebrands Floorball Club)

Last Season: N/A. First timer.

Formed weeks before Youthwave Triple Challenge 2008, this less than a year old Floorball club is soaring at new heights in 2009. Officially registered to the big family of PFA and participating in this years PFL, rating 5/5 for courage and passion!

Players are relatively unknown other than Tania Loke and Bryan Koh, who has both represented Frontliners Trojans in PFL 08. They will be leading the debutant through the baptism of fire.

It will also be interesting to see their coach, Jason Chan (yes, the same one as Frontliners 300) handling 2 teams in the same division at the same time.

Key Player:
We don’t think anybody will shine as they are all relatively new, but from the way they play their keeper - Bryan Koh, may play an important role in their goal scoring. This is because this team is equipped with one or two strong and athletic but not so skillful forwards. Therefore, we foresee goals might come from the keeper's throw out.

Rising Rookie:
With throws like we mentioned above, you will need strong, fast forwards to receive and finish off the move. James Tan from this team seems to fit the bill perfectly. Muscular and well built, he should be able to power through most of the defenses in D2. However, finishing might be a problem for him.

Predictions:
Bendy:
5th. They should have a go against ZGF, guys vs guys. However the Girffins, being the more well trained team should have a slight edge over 300 with their physical advantage. Unless they screw up somewhere, I don't see them rock bottom.

Jose:
This is a tough one to predict. Finally after thinking through, I'm predicting this team to finish 5th. They should be satisfied if they don't finish at the foot of the table, since it is their first year playing in the Penang League.