FOOTBALL AT ITS BEST AS PHILIPPINE UNITED NOTCH UP ANOTHER GREAT VICTORY

Today at Queens, our home venue, we entertained Hemel Hempstead Rovers, and entertaining we certainly were.

As soon as the fifth minute, Renan Ramos latched onto a mistake in the Hemel defence, and somehow missed an open goal from two yards out, but shortly afterwards, he made amends with a well taken goal, slotting his low drive in the far corner, making the score 1-0.

Not very long after that goal came number two, which came from a similar position on the right, only this time the scorer was Raymond Tordecilla, finding the net with an almost identical goal, taking the score to 2-0.

We would have scored more goals had it not been for Hemel’s keeper. He was sensational in the first half, and also in the second half too.

Even though we had a two goal lead, Hemel were proving to be a hard nut to crack, and came close themselves on a couple of occasions, but they sadly lacked that killer instinct when they were in front of goal.

It stayed 2-0 at half time, and as usual I unloaded on the players what I wanted them to do, and not do, and I have to say they did just that.

All the PUFC fans who watch us will gladly tell you how verbal and animated I can get, as I was in the first period, but I did not have to dictate from the line in the second half at all.

The minute the referee blew his whistle to start the second half, it was like music to my ears… we played some of the best football that I have seen us play.

Last week we sadly missed two of our best players, namely, Jason Arroyo, and the very gifted Raymond Tordecilla. Both were back in action today, and what a difference they made, with the latter showing some great skills on the ball, and great vision too, whilst the other, back to his best, with his jinky dribbling skills on the left wing, also started and finished the next goal with a cocky finish, making the score 3-0.

Hemel just did not respond at all and we started to rip them apart in every department, and sure enough came the fourth goal, from the same player Jason (The Beast) Arroyo, who was beginning to be a real thorn in Hemel’s side, making the score 4-0.

We added a fifth goal, which was neatly struck by Michael Cepillo, taking the score to 5-0.

The funny thing was that we had scored five goals, and not one had come from our top scorer Aniello Mone, and the clock was winding down, with only ten minutes left, I joked to our fans that he would probably score a hat-trick in that short time. Well I was almost proved right.

The sixth goal came from our goal machine, with a simple tap-in, taking the score to 6-0, and then sure enough, up he popped to sneak in another, making the final score-line 7-0.

It was sheer joy to watch the second half, as we produced some really great football, in which the opposition after the game, commented how good we were.

We would have won by a bigger score-line, but like I said before, their keeper was outstanding in both halves.

Quite a few players had good performances today: Renee Banao, Jeffrey Burgin, Brian Buazon, Michael Cepillo, and A.J. Ross Low, was very impressive again when he came on, as was Jesse Arroyo, who filled in at Right/Back and looked very comfortable in his new position, making some great runs down the line, and making some very crucial tackles.

Jason Arroyo came very close to being my first choice for the day, but Raymond Tordecilla just edged him out for this week’s Man of the Match.

In all PUFC fans, a good day at the office, and I’m sure you are all praying that we can continue to stay unbeaten for the last six games, and that we get promotion, in our first year.

Keep the faith….I know you will.

Yours in Football,
Norm Parkin