Phuket FC burnt by PTT Rayong’s ‘Fire Power’, bumped into red zone

FOOTBALL: For the first time this season, Phuket FC have fallen into the six-team relegation zone of the 20-team Yamaha League One 2015, following their 2-1 loss away to PTT Rayong last Sunday (August 9)

Played in front of nearly 2,000 fans at the PTT Stadium in the industrial-rich coastal province 183km southwest of the capital, the match was both side’s 22^nd of the 38-fixture season.

The home team’s Thai striker Kirati Kieosombut had the match’s first shot on goal, heading a cross ball straight to Phuket’s keeper, but it would be PTT’s French striker to Yves Hadley Desmarets to score the opening goal on 39 minutes.

PTT’s veteran Ivorian midfielder Amadou Ouattara sent a nice weighted corner kick into a busy box, where a Phuket defender tried to clear the ball, which only was deflected to Desmarets at the top of the box, who with his left, drilled the ball towards the left post and into the back of the net, his sixth of the season.

The Fire Power’s second and final goal of the match was scored late in the match, by Amadou, whose speedy footwork deep in Phuket territory was too much for three Phuket’s defenders, before culminating with a fantastic finish beating the keeper with his right foot on a low shot to the left post. It was also Amadou’s sixth of the season.

The officials gave three minutes of injury time and in the final minute, Phuket striker Ndebi Berlin was taken down on a drive into the box, and subsequently awarded a spot kick, which he did not miss on a shot that pierced the net from just under the cross bar.

The final whistle sealed the scoreline at 2-1.

The loss, coupled with a win on the same evening by Krabi, 2-1 away to Trat FC, bumped the Ronins down into 15^th place still with 27 points, and now in relegation zone, as the Andaman Eagles jumped up to 13^th place with 29 points.

Phuket this Saturday, August 15, will try to fight their way out, in a tough away match up against 6^th placed Thai Honda, whom the Ronins beat earlier this year at Surakul Stadium. After that, Phuket have another away match, against 5^th placed Pattaya United on Wednesday, August 19, before returning home to host the current 9^th placed team Airforce.

The battle for league survival heats up. Class Act Media are proud media partners with Phuket FC.