Jaguars wake up to undeserved win

By TAY CHENG KHOON

FOR about one hour, Tanjong Pagar dished out pathetic soccer at Queenstown Stadium last night.

During that embarrassing period, the Jaguars found themselves a goal down to Gombak United and heard their fanatical fans screaming "Tanjong Pagar wake up! Tanjong Pagar wake up!"

It was doubtful whether the Jaguars were able to hear the plaintive cries of their supporters, but from their slumber they arose...to score an undeserved 2-1 win.

As Tanjong Pagar coach Robert Alberts said: "The boys did not want to win in the first half. I told them that if they wanted to win, they had to go to their opponents."

Despite this half-time challenge, the Jaguars were still pawing about for the first 15 minutes of the second period. Then Thailand's international midfielder Surachai Jatturapattarapong -- who was here, there and everywhere for the Blues -- laid on a cross from the right flank in the 62nd minute. No red-and-white Jaguar challenged for the ball. And so it went to an unmarked Jorgen Nielsen to open the scoring.

With defeat staring them in the face -- and from the bottom-placed team with no win to its credit -- the Jaguars came out fighting.

Super-sub Steven Tan was the architect of the revival. His penetrating runs had the Gombak defence back-pedalling, allowing the Jaguars to surge forward.

The equaliser finally came in the 68th minute when Basri Halis' cross turned in by Iranian Abdol Marfavi.

Tan then got himself on the scorer's list 12 mintues later, when another Iranian, Majid Motlagh, dribbled past a sea of Blues to lay on a perfect lob to unmarked Tan's head.

That was the Iranian's only moment of glory though he denied later that his much-talked about call to the Iraniana World Cup side was a distraction.