Chhnang chumps

Not its not me modelling the Bayon Wanderers shirt!

I'm just back from our trip to Kompong Chhnang for our friendly football game against the professional team, known as Sovanna Phum, from the province. I'd love to report that our Bayon Wanderers team won handsomely and performed heroically, but I can't, though we did play particularly well for much of the match. We simply failed to score whilst our opponents made us pay for many missed chances, eventually running out 4-nil victors. It sounds one-sided but it wasn't. Both teams created lots of opportunities and both goalkeepers were in great form. After a wicked bounce deceived our keeper to give the professional 2nd Division team a one goal lead, we had a penalty saved and missed some glorious chances before we visibly tired and our young Khmer opponents took control in the last quarter. I played in two spurts for about an hour as I try to regain my match fitness, though frustratingly all the chances fell to others in the team. The game was watched by a few hundred spectators (reports of thousands were exaggerated!), with a high-decibel running commentary in Khmer over the loudspeaker system. The pitch was little better than a beach and the game before ours, two other teams from Phnom Penh, was played out in a thunderstorm. Nevertheless, a thoroughly enjoyable adventure, just the wrong result.