FC Phuket 2-1 Samut Prakarn

FC Phuket progressed to the next round of the Thai F.A. Cup thanks to a 2-1 victory away to Samut Prakarn. FC Phuket travelled to Bangkok for the second round tie having defeated Nakhon Ratchasima 2-1 at home in the opening round.

Prolific teenager Adisak Kraisorn opened the scoring in the sixth minute. His strike partner Chakrit Rawanprakorn, who has also enjoyed a highly productive season in front of goal, added a second in the 37th minute.

Samut Prakarn threatened to make a come back when they pulled a goal back late in the second half but FC Phuket held on for the win and progress to the third round of the competition.

FC Phuket 2-0 Surat Thani 0

FC Phuket maintained their 100% home record with a comfortable 2-0 win over Surat Thani. FC Phuket had to do without the suspended Diarra Ali but were still able to put on a match winning performance in the influential midfielders absence.

FC Phuket took the lead late in the second half through Poramut. An FC Phuket corner was only half cleared and centre half Ronnachai collected the ball wide on the right wing. He did well to reach the touch line and even better to loft a cross which fell kindly for the free scoring FC Phuket winger to score with a well taken volley.

A bad tempered game always threatened to deteriorate and it was no surprise when a Surat Thani player was given his second half marching orders for an ill advised elbow.

Kittitach (pictured) soon added a second with a composed finish. FC Phuket broke the offside trap leaving the striker with only the keeper to beat and he made no mistake bending the ball into the corner with an audacious chip.

Moments later the Surat Thani players left the field, seemingly intent on having the game abandoned. Apparently they were unhappy at what they perceived to be the poor lighting at the Surakul Stadium. Visibility did not seem to be particularly poor and after an extensive consultation the officials deemed that the match should continue.

Jagked was promptly forced into action with a smart save from a free kick and then again as a mishit shot threatened to spin into the top of the net from the resulting corner.

With the clock ticking down teenage winger Ronnachai led an incisive FC Phuket counter attack. He whipped in a cross which was erronously ruled offside by the linesman. The referee then compounded the error by showing Ronnachai a second yellow card, presumably for debating the decision. Although the result was not in jeapordy the 17 year old was visibly upset at being dismissed

FC Phuket vs Surat Thani

Confusion may reign over exactly where FC Phuket stand in the league table but what is for certain is that they will be playing Surat Thani tomorrow (Saturday).

The match will kick off at 6pm at the Surakul Stadium and FC Phuket's passionate supporters are sure to be out in force.

For your benefit I have translated one of the Thai Supporters favourite songs so that even farang fans can now join in the fun.

It goes:

Puak kao ma cheer, puak khao ma cheer, puak khao ma cheer fc phuket.

which roughly translated means:

we come to cheer, we come to cheer, we come to cheer FC Phuket.

See you all at the Surakul...

League table confusion

According to the official Football Association of Thailand league table FC Phuket are second:

http://www.fat.or.th/web/RL2010-table4.php

However, FC Phuket have only been awarded 15 points for 5 home wins when they have played 6 times at home this season. FC Phuket have won their last five home games and the result of the first home game with Pattalung, which they drew 0-0, was supposedly changed to a home win.

The league table did originally reflect this result but now it doesn't. I am not entirely sure why. If the win against Pattalung stands FC Phuket are two points clear at the top, and if the original result against Pattalung (draw) stands they are still top on goal difference.

Clear as mud?

Hat Yai 0-0 FC Phuket

FC Phuket are still looking for their first away win of the season after drawing 0-0 away to Hat Yai. The result sees them slip back into second place in Division two behind Trang who beat Yala 1-0.

FC Phuket 2-1 Krabi

FC Phuket maintained their one hundred per cent home record and returned to the top of the table with a hard fought win over local rivals Krabi last Saturday.

Krabi and FC Phuket have enjoyed contrasting fortunes this season with the latter right up in the promotion places and the former struggling near the foot of the table. Despite their lowly league status Krabi provided the sternest test of FC Phuket's promotion credentials of any team to visit the Surakul Stadium this season.

Manager Arjan Songsamsub reshuffled his pack playing Nene Bi, who had previously played all his football here in centre defence, in the lone striker’s role.

FC Phuket played a 4-3-3 formation which became 4-5-1 when Krabi were in possession meaning that leading goal scorer Adisak found himself somewhat surprisingly playing wide on the right.

The tactic was not entirely successful as Krabi had the better of the opening exchanges. The closest that either side came to scoring was when the visitors hit the post with a speculative shot from near the right touchline after a corner had been cleared.

Krabi's keeper appeared less than convincing, underhitting a couple of early clearances, and was entirely culpable as FC Phuket grabbed an opener against the run of play. A speculative cross from the left hand wing caused the keeper to come charging off his line allowing the ever impressive Diarra Ali to head the ball into an empty net.

Songsamsub changed things round at half time, moving Diarra Ali back into central defence and pushing Poramut and Adisak up front in a more conventional 4-4-2 formation. The tactic almost backfired spectacularly with Nene Bi and goalkeeper Jagked getting in a mix up and the Ivory Coast defender fortunate to see the ball bounce harmlessly off the post after he had inadvertently deflected it goalwards.

Nene Bi almost redeemed himself moments later when his curling free kick could only be punched clear by the ever unconvincing Krabi keeper. Jagked was then forced into making a smart save with his feet at the other end but it was to no avail as moments later Krabi grabbed an equaliser with an unstoppable pile driver of a shot from the corner of the penalty area.

The passionate FC Phuket home support, who have split into two factions each sitting at opposite ends of the ground, were undeterred. With the crowd’s chants ringing in their ears FC Phuket started to enjoy increasing possession with the visitors content to settle for a point.

Songsamsub decided to go for broke, bringing substitute Chakrit off the bench and the striker made an instant impact. A right wing cross fell kindly for him and he showed real composure to chest the ball down before blasting it into the roof of the net.

The win keeps FC Phuket in contention at the top of the table despite having failed to win a single away game. Speaking after the match manager Songsamsub defended his decision to tinker with the sides tactics,

'Krabi's defenders are good in the air so I played Nene Bi up front because he is stronger than any of my other strikers and can hold the ball up well. We were leading 1-0 at half time and had some problems with our defence so I decided to change things round. I was expecting more of a long ball game from Krabi in the second half and Nene Bi is good in the air so I moved him back to centre half.'

While Songsamsub's first half tactics may not have convinced, his second half substitution surely changed the course of the game, 'Chakrit is a real striker. He is not good in the build up but his shooting is very good and I wanted to win the game,' he said.

Chakrit's late winner kept up FC Phuket's record of winning every single game at the Surakul Stadium this season. Songsamsub is in little doubt as to why the team's home form is so much better than their away form,

'The fans make a big difference to the players. I think that is why we are so good at home.'

FC Phuket travel to Hat Yai on May 2nd and the next home game is against Surat Thani on May 8th.

FC Phuket vs Krabi

Today 6pm.

Come along and support the Southern Sea Kirin.