Wednesday 21 December 2011

Air Force United v Raj Pracha 1-0


Division One action yesterday, once I finally found the bloody stadium. The game had been moved to Ramkamheng because of the flooding that had effected Air Force's usual stadium but was the stadium easy to find? Was it bollocks. Every bugger I asked either knew nothing about it or pointed me unhelpfully to Rajamangala which is nearby.

It used to be Mad Dogs and Englishmen that went out in the mid day sun. Well, 3.30 ain't midday and it is the cool season in Thailand but it was still freaking hot under the tropical sun. Yet before the game the hosts had to stand through two anthems and two huddles after their pre match kick around. Football Thai style I guess.

Roared on by a passionate cheer squad that never totalled more than a dozen, Air Force went for three points but after a run of two games a week for a few weeks they were knackered and halfway through the first half I was counting the moments till the end of the 90.

Last minute of the first half and the Air Force coach takes off his striker, replacing him with another, while his team were defending throw in. Daft move I thought, why not wait till half time. I reached for my note book and lo and bloody behold the replacement striker only goes and scores a goal.

The hosts reward for these three points, apart from climbing to 11th, is training today and a hour bus ride to Phuket tomorrow. The glamour of football eh?

Interview with Air Force United defender Scott Baginski can be found on Jakarta Casual TV while images from the game are on Asian Football Pictures.

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