Written By: Kenneth Ho

Hougang United sprung up yet another surprise in the Great Eastern Yeo’s S.League as they popped up with another win against the top clubs, this time the victims being current second-placed Warriors FC.

While Hougang coach Amin Nasir was confident of getting a result going into the game, he admitted it was not easy for his team to emerge triumphant.

“It’s not easy for sure, playing the top teams like Warriors is not easy,” Hougang United coach Amin Nasir said.

“Our team spirit, discipline are our strength. If you look at our opponents technically they are superior because they have quality players, but we put our feet on the ground battled through with our spirit and pride.”

With the 3-2 win on Sunday, Hougang are now perched on fifth spot, having leapfrogged Albirex Niigata after the latter could only draw against Balestier Khalsa on the same evening, and Amin hoped that his team will continue its fine form.

“At the beginning of the season I felt that we had a decent team, so we have been giving all the teams a good fight. This season we have been giving the big teams a good fight and I hope it continues against Home United over the weekend,” the Hougang coach said.

For Warriors coach Alex Weaver, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow as it meant that his team missed an opportunity to overtake league leaders Brunei DPMM, who were two points ahead going into this game.

The defeat saw Warriors go a point behind DPMM, albeit having played a game more, and Weaver said he had little positives to take out from this game.

“It was a missed opportunity,” Weaver said.

“We had possession, we had chances, got ourselves in front but we just made an error with our defensive line and allowed them back in.

“If we could have stayed in front longer, I think the way we were going on with our possession, we would have taken control of the game and go on and done much better.”

The Warriors have also been leaking in goals of late, despite superb performances by their goalkeeper Hassan Sunny, but Weaver waved off any defensive concerns and said that his team have been a little unlucky in terms of goals being scored against them.

“If you really analysed the goals we conceded, you could say some of the goals we conceded were a little unfortunate,” he said.

“But we are still on the right track, we will keep going. It’s not like we put ourselves in mid-table, so we will put things right and move forward,” Weaver added.