With Assumption being a Division 2 side, many thought the game would be a walk in the park for the Ronins, but poor passing and even poorer defending by both teams was why the game saw so many goals.
Phuket, who fielded their main team, except usual goalkeeper Piyawat Intarapim, were the first to score with Begium striker Beline Mdebl put an easy header past Assumption̕s keeper.
However, it was only minutes later that Assumption equalised after some sloppy defending by the Ronins. It was still 1-1 at the half-time whistle.
Just three minutes into the second half, again after poor defending by the Ronins, Assumption took the lead. But just three minutes later a cross put over by Andres Lopes was sliced in by a Assumption defender for an own goal. 2-2.
On the 60th minute Andres assisted Pradipat to put the Ronins ahead 3-2. Five minutes later it was level peggings again, 3-3.
It was a Beline strike in the 79th minute which again put Phuket in front at 4-3, but literally seconds later the score was back level at 4-4.
In the 87th minute captain Sato stepped up to take a penalty after Pradipat was deemed to have been fouled in the box and cooly slotted the ball away.
But the game wasn̕t over yet, and just a minute later Assumption had a penalty of their own which they weren̕t going to miss. The score was at 5-5.
With 4 minutes of extra- time to play anything could have happened, and it did. An Assumption player was deemed to have handled the ball insde the box and the ref awarded Phuket a final winning opportunity.
Sato once again stepped up and gave the Ronins the victory with the last kick of the game.
Phuket FC take on table-toppers Police Utd in a Yamaha League Division game on Sunday (June 28) at Surakul, a game which could go two ways, Phuket getting thrashed or proving they can actually make the grade and coming away with 3-points. Let̕s hope it̕s the latter. Kick-off is at 7pm.


