Dateline 25^th September 2016

 Pattaya United 4 NRFC 1

The Swatcats rolled into “sin city” searching for points to help achieve a top ten finish and possibly place one of the final nails in the coffin in the Blue Dolphins’ fight for premier league survival.

 The visitors began with a bang with a goal from Pratan in the 3^rd minute – a fine, powerful header from a well flighted corner.

The blue dolphins fought back with a series of raids forward, looking effective and particularly dangerous. With the Swatcat defence conceding a series of free kicks, one sensed that this could still be a long night for the men from Korat.

In the 10^th minute an angled shot from Pattaya struck the post and minutes later a lob went inches over the visitor’s crossbar.

In the 16^th minute a free kick was awarded just outside the box and the kick was expertly converted to equalize the score. The home team continued to probe and looked a decent team going forward. The Swatcats looked jaded and seemed to have no answers as Pattaya pressed.

Pattaya went ahead when a disputed penalty was awarded and converted in the 31^st minute - a lead they probably deserved. In the aftermath Lindemann was lucky to stay on the pitch following a head butt on an opponent. Minutes later a rare chance for the Swatcats as a half volley was well saved and from the resulting corner Tagbajumi headed wide.

After conceding yet another free kick, a whipped in cross was headed into the net to give the Blue Dolphins a 3-1 lead as the first half came to a close. In added time Chanatphol was dismissed for a dangerous tackle. All in all a bit of a horror show from the visitors so far.

With the match all but a dead rubber, the Swatcats failed to make the home team feel under any real pressure as the home team searched for a fourth goal and in the 60^th minute Pinto, completely unmarked inside the 6 yard box, headed in to complete his hat-trick.

A now demoralized Swatcat team played out the final 30 minutes hoping not to concede again and presumably left to wonder “what went wrong tonight?”

Not too many positives to be taken from this encounter. A stuttering performance with no real cohesion between defence, midfield and attack.  Few real chances were made and the defence looked very shaky throughout. The team was well beaten by a side tipped for relegation by many and the result was a bit of a shock to the many fans that made the long journey to watch the match – in short a reality check for the Swatcat team.

Dateline 17^th September 2016

 NRFC 2 Buriram United 0

The “Big Dawgs” of Isaan clashed tonight seeking the temporary bragging rights of the region.

In front of a feisty crowd of 22 000 fans (nice to see the stadium almost full to capacity), the Swatcats went immediately on the attack with Bjorn Lindemann hitting the woodwork with a thumping header from a well flighted corner in the first minute. Tunez then went close with a close range flick as the match immediately burst into life.

In the 6^th minute a quick counter attack ended when Lindemann drew a fine save from the visitor’s keeper – can this tempo last for the remaining 84 minutes!!

The game settled into a midfield battle with both sides jostling for dominance with Buriram looking more polished but being more than matched for endeavour by the home team. Diogo in particular looked real class.

On 21 minutes a free kick on the flank from Lindemann again brought the opposition keeper into action – Bjorn really is on fire at the moment!!! Minutes later Chanatphon went close with a 20 yard free kick.

After a quickly taken free kick, a cross was launched into the box and found Tagbajumi who bravely headed into the net to give the Swatcats a 30^th minute lead.

Buriram then began to exert pressure with a couple of half chances created and in the 44^th minute, in a somewhat harsh decision, a penalty was awarded for a challenge inside the box. The penalty taker spurned the chance to level the game, sending the kick narrowly wide.

As the half drew to a close, on chances alone, the home team was in charge but with Buriram’s pedigree and experience, they were still in the game.

The second half began with the home team probing and Buriram looking largely flat going forward. In the 59^th minute the visitors went close with a close range shot going wide. They continued to press and Diogo was unlucky when his shot was deflected wide in the 66^th minute. The home team countered and a Lindemann break led to a dangerous cross which was almost converted into a second goal as Chakrit flicked it over the bar.

In a further break by Tagbajumi in the 78^th minute, continued with a superb ball into the box from Lindemann, May T failed to convert what would have been a killer goal. The home team continued to flow forward confidently putting the Buriram rearguard under pressure but Buriram broke and hit the right upright with a diving header in the 82^nd minute – a close shave for the men in orange!

In a frenetic and emotional finale to the match, Buriram again hit the post but the home team immediately countered and Lindemann provided the “icing on the cake” with a superb solo effort to put the Swatcats two up.

A great contest and a most satisfying result for the men from Korat. The team is continuing to put in decent performances. I have said it before but it bears repeating, the team is playing better under Joksic than they were at any point last season – and we finished 8^th.

In terms of TPL dynamics, Buriram are certainly not the force they were and NRFC seem to be in the ascendancy. Tonight the Swatcats proved again that they can compete at the highest level… I think next season they may raise a few people’s eyebrows!!

Dateline 10^th September 2016

 Suphanburi 3 NRFC 1

10^th plays 11^th as in form NRFC take on the underachieving War Elephants in this weekend’s fixture. Suphan finished an excellent 3^rd in the TPL last year but this season they have struggled to string together a decent run of results.

The visitors opened confidently, dominating possession but the home team manufactured 2 decent chances on the break in the 15^th and 16^th minutes. In the 22^nd minute Lindemann, on his old stamping ground, broke thought the Suphan defence and his low drive was well saved by the keeper.

In the 32^nd minute after a fine break down the right flank Tagbajumi headed just wide and in a half of few real chances, a real opportunity to break the deadlock. Suphan then rallied and Chappuis went close from 10 yards on the cusp of half time.

A competent and well controlled first half performance with some decent build up play in midfield.

The second half began with a bang with a Darko Tasevski shot that thundered off the angle of the upright and the crossbar – the goal frame may still be shuddering!!!

In the 54^th minute Suphanburi went ahead with a well worked glancing header. The Swatcats then pressed forward searching for the elusive equalizer but with little effect - in fact Suphanburi looked the more dangerous of the two sides and in the 67^th minute the home side went two up with an unchallenged tap in from a corner. Lindemann immediately countered with a fine drive but it now looked all over for the visitors.

In the 82^nd minute after the ball was needlessly given away just outside the box the ball was slotted home to put the home side three up. Minutes later the Swatcats had a chance cleared off the line and from the resulting clearance, Pralong Sawandee clouted the ball into the net from 25 yards to give the score a more reasonable appearance.

In the 92^nd minute the Swatcats were awarded a very dubious penalty decision. Lindemann drove the penalty way over the bar – perhaps justice was done!!!

The team looked and performed like a decent team tonight and the spirit seemed good despite recent rumours of player’s salaries not being paid. Chances however were as usual at a premium despite decent build up at times – we are by no means a free scoring side!!

Defensive lapses in the second half cost us the points but full marks to Suphanburi for a deserved home win.

The climax to the 2016 TPL season is upon us and a time to look forward – and back to the journey of the team during the year.

With 6 games to go, my feeling is that the team is 100% safe from relegation – relegation that until 2 months ago looked a distinct possibility. The season started badly, with unexpected home defeats, poor performances and dwindling attendances. The team was in crisis – the team lacked spirit and pundits in the know were suggesting that Sugao Kambe’s coaching methods were lacking. As a mere on looking fan, I sensed that the players were lacking motivation and had lost respect for the coach.

The matches and performances lacked any kind of entertainment merit and I was not surprised that the fans voted with their feet – a nearly empty stadium at some of those early home marches was most disconcerting – but at least it was easy to get out of the carpark after the matches!!

The inevitable happened and Kambe was replaced. Milos Joksic, who had brought Pattaya United up into the Premier League, was appointed. He set a target of “top 10” and we all (well I did) cried “No chance!!!”.

What a revelation. An immediate change and some encouraging but not spectacular results. I am no tactician and upon asking some expert friends they could not detect an appreciable change in tactics but there was nonetheless a change. Joksic dropped local hero Noah Chivuta from the starting lineup and Bjorn Lindemann seemed “bjorn again” playing out of his skin match after match. He also made changes at the back and started playing Tagbajumi and Adiyiah together up front.

The squad seemed rejuvenated and a real spirit emerged on the pitch. Results continued to yield points as the team eased away from the bottom three. As I write the team sits in 11^th place on the same number of points as 10^th place Suphanburi.

So with games against Suphanburi and Buriram United next to test the team’s mettle and then 4 comparatively easy games against teams in the bottom five to conclude the season, a top ten finish does seem, after all a possibility.

So what of the season - well considerable relief if we avoid the drop, pleasure at seeing the improvement in the latter half of the season and optimism for next season – I really do think that the team are playing better now than they did last season.

A topsi-turvy season for sure keeping us all on tenterhooks for large parts…but hopefully with a happy ending.