Dismal show at Bishan Title favourites Home let fans down as Tigers leave happy with a point

Source

Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League 2012

Home United 0 Balestier Khalsa 0

SINGAPORE - The look on Home United coach Lee Lim Saeng said it all. Hardly in his seat at the dugout during his team's opening encounter with visiting Balestier Khalsa in the 2012 Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League last night, Lim spent most of his time barking orders at his players as they struggled to find any sort of rhythm in the drab 0-0 draw at Bishan Stadium.

Asked to assess the match, Lee admitted it was poor.

"I wanted to get the three points tonight, that's why I am disappointed. We lacked a midfield tonight, but we will get better," said Lee. "We have another match and then we'll get a break, that'll give us more time to get the team to play better together."

Admittedly, Home were missing midfield dynamo Shi Jiayi through suspension. With striker Qiu Li still not fully fit and attacking midfielder John Wilkinson hamstrung by an International Transfer Certificate that has yet to arrive, the Protectors were missing some of their big guns.

Still, Home, billed as title favourites, had Frederic Mendy and fellow Frenchman Franklin Anzite in their line-up last night, along with Shotaro Ihata, Albirex Niigata's former top goalscorer.

But none of them could get a grip on the game.

Balestier coach Darren Stewart was candid in his assessment of the match.

"Maybe the quality of the play was not outstanding, with a bit of wind blowing around and the new ball making it tough, but it was a gutsy performance by my team," said Stewart. "There won't be many teams that will come here and get away with a point."

For the watching fans, officially tallied at 1,354, it was a poor advertisement for S-League Version 2.0, although the match at Jurong East Stadium could have made up for it, with Albirex pipping SAFFC 3-2.

Home fans would have expected to be entertained by a team that fought tooth-and-nail with Tampines Rovers for the title last season, but were instead served up misplaced passes aplenty, few genuine goalscoring chances, and a game that failed to flow.

Balestier Khalsa vice-chairman S Thavaneson insisted performances would get better, when he said: "It was an even game, and perhaps because it was the first game, the players were more cagey and the flamboyance and adventure is still not there.

"Give it two or three more games and you'll really start to see what these boys can do."



Other result

Albirex Niigata 3 SAFFC 2