Rain washes away Gunners' lead

HEAVY downpour doused off the fiery 2010/11 DST Group Brunei Premier League I (BPL I) match between AM Gunners FC and Prisons Department at the Berakas Sports Complex last night.

After only 30 minutes of play, a curtain of rain swept over Berakas to grind the match, led 1-0 by the Gunners, to a halt.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, Md Nazlee PD Hj Md Jaafar's excellently taken freekick will not be taken into account, due to the rules requiring the match to be played from the start at a later date to be determined by organisers Football Federation of Brunei Darussalam.

Though it was not raining early in the match, both teams found it hard to connect on passes through the aggressive play and rough tackles.

BPL I debutants Prisons Departments were made to pay when the referee awarded a freekick in the Gunners' favour just outside the box.

Md Nazlee tucked the ball beyond jailers' goalkeeper Azman Ilham Hj Md Noor's reach to give the Gunners an early lead in the ninth minute.

Prisons Department failed to adapt and learn from their mistake as they continued to concede freekicks one after another.

They were however bailed out by the powerful force of nature halfway into the match as light drizzle transformed into heavy downpour.

Players were slipping all over the field as the passing rates of both teams plummeted due to the ball getting caught in puddles which were starting to form on the pitch.

The unfavourable condition forced the referee to blow his whistle at the 30-minute mark to stop the match.

When the rain showed no signs of letting up, it was decided that the Gunners and Prisons Department will have to continue their duel on another day.

Due to the postponement, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces' Sports Council (MS ABDB) shot to the top of the nine-team table after a 4-1 hammering of LLRC FT at Penanjong Camp in Tutong last night.

Hj Md Yusof Hj Matyassin opened the armymen's account in the 25th minute. Teammate Md Isa Hj Bahar scored a hat-trick in the match.

The Belait-based team's sole goal was scored by Hj Anuar Seidil in the 44th minute.

The result puts MS ABDB in first position, collecting the maximum six points from two matches to demote the Gunners down into second place.

Majra FC, who are determined to fight for a trophy this season, take third spot after their 3-0 victory over LLRC FT last Sunday.

Indera SC, Wijaya FC and LLRC FT sit at the bottom half of the table, with zero points collected from two matches.

The BPL I will resume with defending BPL I champions QAF FC, currently in fourth, taking on Prisons Department at the Berakas Sports Complex on Sunday at 8.15pm.

They will have to play the jailers' without two of their main defenders, Ratano Tuah and Md Shah Azhar Abdullah.

Both players picked up a red card in their match against Indera SC on Tuesday.

Despite the odds, QAF FC manager Abdul Rahim Daud is still confident that his team will still be able to pick up a win.The Brunei Times ..