TPL
Navy Rayong 0-1 Chonburi
Rayong Provincial Stadium
Attendance: 14,166
Sunday 11th October, 2009
Match Report
There was a five minute period on Sunday morning when I seriously considered not even bothering going to this game. I was sitting in my favourite chair with a pot of tea, a plate of toast and I was catching up with the weeks events in Ambridge on The Archers. I felt quite content. The disappointment of the last week, coupled with the extreme and totally unfair punishment dished out by the pompous oafs at FAT, had left me feeling a might indifferent to all things TPL.
However, when the time came, I was on the bus with the rest of them for the short hop down the motorway to Rayong. And I was so glad I made the effort. It was a rip roaring match played in front of a noisy "football" crowd. There was a large Chonburi contingent (more than I was expecting) and they engaged themselves in playful banter with the voiciferous home fans before and during the game. It was everything that last Sunday should have been. Maybe it was because the pressure was off but people actually seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Events on the pitch also surpassed anything that was served up at the Thunderdome seven days ago as both teams ripped into each other like there was no tomorrow. I'd written in my pre match preview (can you have a post match preview?) that I wouldn't have blamed the Chonburi players if they'd shown a complete lack of interest. Thankfully the opposite happened and they were playing as if their lives depended on it. Navy Rayong too were going full tilt and chances were being created, and missed, at both ends.
When the PA announcer informed everyone that Muang Thong had taken the lead against Osotspa the home fans partied and reminded us that we weren't going to win the league. We responded with chants of "Going down, going down, going down". Just like you're supposed to. Great fun.
As the match continued at a breakneck pace mobile phones were consulted and texts were sent back and forth. Pattaya were losing (hurray), SriRacha were winning (hurray, hurray) and Osotspa had equalised (hurray, hurray and thrice hurray). We went crazy. Things then became even crazier when Kone scored with a trademark turn and finish. The gap was now one point again. Dare we dream the impossible dream?
As the players gave their all out on the park we gave them every encouragement from the packed terraces. It was part hope, part celebration and part defiance - you can stuff your stadium ban seemed to be the message. As the final whistle went, news began to filter through that Muang Thong had scored during six minutes of injury time (who was time keeping? Alex Fergusson?) and our joy was cut short. After a few moments of painful silence the fans rallied round and gave the team and, perhaps more satisfyingly, Zico a tremendous ovation.
We also applauded our opponents, and their fans, and joined in with their celebrations at staying up in spite of the defeat. It was a truly wonderful occasion and I'm so glad I got of my backside and dragged myself along. Yesterday probably meant more to me than any other Chonburi match. Sure we are all disappointed that we missed out on the title but we all rallied round when it really mattered. People I've known for years stood shoulder to shoulder with people who've climbed on board in the last few seasons to show everyone that we were the first and we're still the best.
Right, I must find out how Linda Snell is getting on with her footpath protest.
No comments:
Post a Comment