SPORT: Fealsamthom Are Kicked Hard!!

T.R. East Fealsamthom 2-4 Tománn Indo-China

The small colony has once again proved that its eclectic mix of locals and colonials is fast becoming a serious footballing entity. During the second match of the TIFA Championships 2005 the host nation never really looked like being defeated by the East Fealsamthom side which looked quite frankly ragged at times.

The match started in a flurry of activity which saw Tománn Indo-China go close to scoring on many occasions, all thanks to Finn McCloud. It was only a matter of time, in the 10th minute to be precise, that the masterful local boy Shiwa Jalus, having broken away down the left hand side of the pitch, drove in a low, hard cross which met the diving head of McCloud. The diving header is fast becoming McClouds trademark.

Just two minutes later McCloud returned the favour and threaded a ball through Fealsamthom's half-asleep defensive line which the nippy Jalus capitalised on, sending the keeper the wrong way after dashing for 30 yards down the pitch. At this point the Fealsamthom defense were playing so poorly that their manager, Mark Prendergast, took off striker James Harrisson and replaced him with centre-back Andrew O'Connor.


McCloud beats the helpless Henderson
following a corner to make it 3-0

The second half was just continuation of the first half in terms of pressure. So it was that on the stroke of the 50th minute, McCloud won a goal-mouth scramble resulting from cracking corner by another Tibet Tygers regular, John Eliot. McCloud appeared to be the only one in the whole box with his eye on the ball and managed to tap the ball over the helpless Fealsamthom goalkeeper, Seán Henderson.

The third Indo-China goal seemed to unsettle the team somewhat. Instead of building on the momentum they had established, they found themselves conceding the softest of goals within three minutes of scoring. Fealsamthom's first goal came about after midfield maestro Ryan Carr tried his luck from 40 yards out. The high looping ball seemed to catch the colonial goalie Patrick O'Haga completely unaware as the hit him on the shoulder and bounced in rather embarrassingly.

Fealsamthom then scored again further unsettling their opponents who had been so commanding for the majority of the match. The goal came about as a result of Ryan Carr being brought down in the box after an amazing turn of skill which the Indo-China defence couldn't keep up with. Indo-China defender Teshma Chi just wasn't fast enough attempting his tackle and took the player rather than the ball. Carr stepped up to take the penalty and slotted home with relative ease.

So with the score at 3-2 to the hosts it was well and truly game on. At this point it was time to cue yet another Indo-China late, late show; With time running out and tensions running high in the Potela Hill Stadium, Jalus found himself breaking through the defensive ranks of Fealsamthom. He then struck the ball from around 20 yards and the goalkeeper never looked likely to save it.

So with another win under their belt Tománn Indo-China have more or less sealed their place in the final of the TIFA Championships. It is now down to the two 'established' teams to scrap between themselves for not only the remaining place in the final, but also national pride.