Md Azwan's brace takes Jerudong 4th

JERUDONG FC eased past NBT FC 4-1 in last night's DSTGroup Brunei Premier League I game to move to fourth in the standings.

Md Azwan Ali Rahman bagged a brace for Jerudong in their match at the Berakas Sports Complex, with Md Esmendy Brahim and Md Asrul Kubu also on target.

Having collected 17 points from 10 games, Jerudong now lead Majra FC by two points and AM Gunners FC are not too far away on 22 points.

The loss was NBT's seventh in 10 games, and they remain rooted at the bottom of the 10-team table with five points.

Jerudong had a firm grip of midfield and dominated possession for most of the game, creating four clear chances before Md Azwan opened the scoring from inside the area in the 17th minute when NBT's goalkeeper Md Nooraffie Md Salleh failed to handle a shot.

NBT's poor passing meant that they were unable to bring the ball forward and their control of the ball was also lacking.

Hardly creating chances, their strikers failed to hold the ball up and the young and inexperienced team did not play as a unit.

Their marking was constantly called into question and in the 36th minute Md Azwan came up with an unmarked header to put Jerudong 2-0 ahead going into the break.

Dahlan Hj Zainuddin had the chance to make it a trio of goals for Jerudong before the break when he was put through on goal but his shot sailed miles off the mark.

Starting the second half with a 3-5-2 formation, Jerudong were on the back foot in the opening minutes but NBT failed to create any scoring chances.

NBT were made to pay four minutes past the hour mark when Hidayatur Rahim Aliuddin raced down the left flank and dialed in a cross to Md Esmendy to score with a header.

Md Nooraffie was at fault for the goal though since he mistimed his run out of the box to clear the ball.

NBT finally got on the scoresheet in the 70th minute through Md Nor Akmal Hayat Ahmad whose shot from outside the box filtered through Jerudong goalkeeper Abd Hafiz Hj Mursadi's legs.

Md Nooraffie made two key saves in quick succession 10 minutes later, the first a curling free-kick from Jerudong captain Md Radzi Tamat from the left and the second a point-blank save from Hidayatur.

Jerudong were not to be denied in the 81st minute though, Md Asrul scoring with a header after connecting on a cross from the left.

The other match of the night saw the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Sports Council (MS ABDB) beat Brunei Shell Football Team 3-2 at the Brunei Shell Recreational Club in Seria.The Brunei Times