After what’s now basically 6 months of having our own way, and 3 consecutive league wins against the Saints, the Raiders were sent crashing down to earth on Sunday at Thu Duc Sports University. We won’t dispute the result but I won’t say ‘no excuses’ because trust me, we have plenty. 50 minutes on the way home in the van is plenty of time to come up with those and reassure ourselves that everything is ok. One result a collapse does not make. In the words of the shit terminator, we’ll be back. On the day however, Raiders were out fought and deservedly beaten. The buzz phrases floating around seem to be that we just weren’t up for it, certainly not as much as the ‘foaming at the mouth with severely dented pride and a massive point to prove’ opposition. Touch of complacency may have settled in and we weren’t first to the ball on many occasions. Saints have obviously made improvements since our last meeting in terms of personnel, their goalkeeper making a massive difference.

Saints went one up after 15 mins or so, and the pressure was on Raiders to create something. Mike was looking a little isolated but still doing well when he got the ball, especially considering the treatment he was getting (with nothing from ref). Indeed it was Mike who fashioned a meter of space in the box and was wiped out leading to a pen for Owen ‘le tissier’ Greenow to step forward and immediately remove that nickname forever by miskicking his shot almost down the middle. ‘Sorry lads that was a shit pen’. Unlucky mate, and obviously a missed pen always has an effect on the game. From what could have been 1-1 went to 2-0 with a good Saints move down the left (Jamie Patrick “the ball bobbled over my leg”) and a cross to the near post which was screamed for by Mirko but not claimed as a Saints toe got there just before hand to put the ball in. It should have been 2 earlier with Saints missing an open goal and Mirko also doing very well in a one on one.

Second half started exactly how it shouldn’t have, with the Saints striker allowed waaaay too much opportunity to run through our defense and somehow beat Mirko too to make it 3-0. Apart from an impressive overhead kick (and corresponding save) the rest of the game was Raiders exerting some (possibly futile) pressure, but hey…in football anything can happen. Lots of corners and freekicks resulted in nothing (sorry my delivery was shocking..it was the boots), Craig hit the crossbar (postman is back), Mike went close when through on goal but put his shot wide, Steven had what looked like a certain goal tipped round the post and the keeper also cleared a looping header from Greenow off the line. It was not to be, not even a consolation.

To be fair we looked out of our comfort zone on a big grass bobbly sand pit, didn’t have good shape the whole game, and never really got going. Get us back on the astro! Obviously missing big names with Nico out, Olly MIA and Grady and Daniel Vo not showing up having signed up. You, my friends, are in for an Italian roasting, and rightly so. Muhassive penalties await.

So overall, without using any cliches, keep your heads up, one game at a time, it’s a marathon not a race, we’ll bounce back, there’s no easy game in this league, start again on Sunday against Gemadept, don’t underestimate them though…