Dateline 8th July 2017 – Match day 23.

 FT Superpower Samut Prakan 0 NRFC 5

The Swatcats took on struggling Superpower hoping to come away with 3 points to help in their fight against possible relegation.

Amazingly Superpower seem to have dropped all of their foreign import players. The visitors opened confidently and after two minutes, Paulo Rangel poked home after a goalmouth scramble to give the Swatcats the lead. Four minutes later Adiyiah stroked home from 8 yards to make it 2-0.

Superpower countered gamely and they went close with an angled shot that flew across the goalmouth. The Swatcats continued to probe and Rangel was unlucky when he was upended in the box just as he was about to finish. It was considered a fair challenge and no penalty was awarded.

The Swatcats now seemed content to soak up any pressure that Superpower produced but in truth the hosts seemed unable to create much in the final third. The sky blue clad Swatcats launched sporadic raids and then in a crazy 3 minutes, Akekanat hit a pile driver that was well saved by the keeper. From the resulting corner Rangel clattered the bar with a header then, on the rebound, Akekanat again rattled the bar with a strong angled drive.

In the 41^st minute, after a fine solo run, Rangel banged in a third to effectively put the game to bed, and with Superpower losing confidence, there could be more to come.

The second half began with the visitors aiming to improve their goal difference and within a minute of the break Rangel headed in from the far post to complete his second hat trick for the club. With the match becoming a stroll for the visitors and the hosts struggling to create chances, the visitors seemed to take their foot off the gas. Despite this, chances for the visitors kept coming and in the 63^rd minute Adiyiah was inches wide with a superb shot and then Superpower cleared a shot off their line to keep the score at 4-0.

Rangel then had a great chance when he dribbled into the 6 yard area but his effort was well blocked. Superpower continued to huff and puff but were unable to pierce the Swatcat’s resolute defence, a 72^nd minute drive being their only chance of any consequence.

Minutes later the Swatcat’s keeper Weera  Koedpudsa was brought into action when he pulled off two excellent saves as Superpower made a late effort to score a consolation goal.

Naruphol completed the rout in the 90^th minute when he bravely forced the ball over the line for the fifth.

Well, job done against a shell shocked Superpower team - they looked very poor! A vital  3 points and a workmanlike performance from the Swatcats - with a couple of other results going their way, they can go into the international break with a little breathing space in the battle near the bottom. Three more points against Si Saket after the break will surely give the team some breathing space within the bottom six.

A couple of other points of interest; First, the Superpower fans have been - and were tonight, superb despite their team’s present malaise - well done to them, they chanted enthusiastically throughout the match. Second well done to Paulo Rangel, his goals are certainly giving the team a lift.

Match day 23 Stats