MATCH REPORT: JDT 2-1 SARAWAK FA

Despite leaking goals first, JDT came from behind to win and extend their unbeaten home record to 31 at Larkin.

The Crocs started the game aggressive, but found themselves unable to penetrate the defenses of JDT despite having all four foreign imports at their disposal.

Billy Mehmet and Ryan Griffith couldn’t get the attacking crosses they needed as both Ashri Chuchu and Joseph Kalang were heavily marked at the flanks, despite Sarawak dominating the first 20 minutes of the game.

JDT, still trying to adapt to Sarawak’s play made a few counter attacks, but none resulted in a goal, prompting Sarawak to have the lions share of possession in the match.

In the 25th minute however, the away crowd roared the loudest with Billy calmly slotting in the ball past JDT’s goalkeeper Farizal Merlias. The goal came through a superb pass from Ivan Fatic from the centre of the pitch.

Awaken, JDT launched raids of attack and was soon awarded a free kick in the 39th minute. Free kick specialist Safiq Rahim stepped up for the kick, and made no mistake to curl it in past a helpless Fadzley Rahim, putting both sides level again.

Shocked, the Crocs tried to regroup, but Safiq struck again with a powerful grounder from 25-yards to put his side in the drivers seat minutes before the half time.

After the breather, the Crocs abandoned their fast counter attacking tactics, and opted to hold the ball more.

The move proved disastrous as JDT started pushing forward with dangerous counter attacks which saw them teasing for another goal.

Nazrin Mohd Nawi and Harris Harun were constant threats at the Sarawak back line, with Fadzley constantly called into action to make acrobatic saves for the Crocs. The Crocs’s midfield failed to live up to JDT’s, with V Partiban unable to by-pass his markers after he replaced injured Joseph Kalang. On the other side, Ashri Chuchu was kept silent by his marker, while Ivan and Shahrol Saperi tried their best to supply what they could to both Billy and Ryan.

Realizing his side lacks the creativity needed in midfield, Sarawak head coach Robert Alberts substituted Sharol Saperi for Sabri Sahar, but that moved failed to salvage much of the game with JDT running circles around the Crocs.

In the dying minutes of the game, Ashri Chuchu almost equalized for the Crocs, but his shot on goal was block for a fruitless corner.

Sarawak also had to play with ten men in injury time after Ivan showed his dissent to the referee by throwing the ball away after he was found guilty of a foul. The incident caused him to earn his second yellow card of the game, hence his marching orders minutes before the final whistle.

The red card to Ivan was the last bit of action from Larkin as the referee decided to end the game with JDT winning the full three points of the night.