War Elephant Taken From Behind: Port FC 3-2 Suphanburi FC (friendly)

Port took on the War Elephant of Suphanburi tonight in a friendly, and edged a highly entertaining game 3-2.

The visitors started with their A team, Port with their B, and Nicolas Velez, Port’s tormentor in chief when we lost at Suphan a few weeks back, put the away side a goal up within the first minute before Port’s players had even woken up, and added a second with a beautiful curling shot midway through the first half, before Jetjinn (51) pulled one back for the home side with a nice run & shot just before half time. To be honest Port deserved to be more than a goal down and were taken apart for most of the half, with only some typical last-ditch saving tackles from El Capitan Rochela (22), the only Port player to do the full 90 minutes, keeping the home side in the game.

In the second half the roles were reversed, with Suphan resting their A team and Port bringing on theirs, and it wasn’t long before Nitipong (34) levelled it for Port, before Suarez (5) volleyed in from close range to put Port ahead. Port had much the best of the second half and the 3-2 win was fully deserved.

Not really much to glean from tonight’s game other than the fact that Zico is still undecided over who is Port’s best left-back, with Panpanpong (19) and Yossawat (28) both getting game time; and the fact that Adisorn (13) is not in Zico’s plans, with Beavis Siwapong (97) starting the first half and Pummared (41) starting the second, with Ittipol (7) coming on as a late sub.

A very enjoyable game all in all, and good to take our place on the hallowed metal steps of Zone B, cold Leo and hot sausage in hand, for the first time in several weeks. Roll on 10 September!

Tim Russell

The founder and editor of The Sandpit, Tim has been in SE Asia since 2003 and in Bangkok since 2012, where he runs a travel tech business. Tim has followed Port FC since 2014, and is also a fan of his hometown club Coventry City, and French club AS St-Etienne. He has written for the likes of Football365, ITV.com, NME and The Quietus, and is a regular contributor to God Is In the TV. He's a keen photographer and his work can be seen on his website.