Dateline 29^th July 2018

 FT Air Force Central 1 NRFC 0

Attendance; 1898

The Swatcats took on league basement side Air Force this weekend. They started without skipper Chalermpong and with Pina and Marinkovic in midfield.

The match commenced in very heavy conditions with heavy rain continuing to fall.

In a rather tentative start by both teams, as they attempted to adapt to the worsening conditions, chances were scarce but the hosts were beginning to dominate possession.

In the 23^rd minute Assumpcao missed a tap in from 4 yards - the first real chance of the match. The Swatcats then began to knock the ball around effectively and Assumpcao was denied a clear penalty when he was pushed in the back.

In a thrilling first half final 5 minutes, Assumpcao was again in action in the 40^th minute when he finished a fine move with a rasping drive that went narrowly wide. Minutes later Marinkovic let fly with a 30 yard thunderbolt that was tipped over by the keeper. From the resulting corner Assumpcao’s shot was cleared acrobatically off the line.

A half of few chances and little excitement drew to a close with the match deadlocked at 0-0.

The second half began with Assumpcao going close as the visitors went on the offensive. He nearly put the visitors deservedly ahead on 60 minutes after a quickly taken throw in, but his shot was parried by the keeper.

Air Force seemed to have run out of ideas as the Swatcats pressed and on the hour had not yet produced a single shot on target.

As the Swatcats seemed to tire, Air Force bounced back, with a drive narrowly wide and a header just over the bar. Cunningham then saved well from an angled drive as Air Force began to take control late in the game.

Air Force broke the deadlock with a 90^th minute winner as Kayne Vincent fired in from 8 yards - unbelievably, their first shot on target in the whole match!!

Disappointing result and back into the relegation mix. This was not a great spectacle, hampered as it was by poor conditions. The Swatcats defended well and Assumpcao could have bagged a hat trick but his poor finishing cost us dearly. We have now made it “squeaky bum” time as we are only 5 points clear of the bottom five. I suspect that we will be safe but with Bangkok United next i.e. no points, we could find ourselves only 2 points clear going into the Asian Games break.

Match Day 25 Stats