Police United 1-2 Chonburi

Second half goals from Nattapong and Adul helped Chonburi come from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Police United at the Army Stadium.

Chakrit Buathong was alert early doors to pounce on a defensive mix up between Diakite and Nattapong to give the Crimson Cops the lead on seven minutes.

With Therdsak and Pipob doing time on the bench, Chonburi really struggled to get any flow to their game going as Police comfortably saw out the first half 1-0 in front.

The introduction of the old stagers for the second half certainly livened things up, but the Sharks were grateful to Diakite as he cleared a goal bound shot at the back post on 55 minutes.

On the hour mark, Chonburi levelled when Nattapong neatly controlled a looping cross on his chest before blasting it into the roof of the net.

After the equalizer, Chonburi certainly had a bit more impudence about their play and looked the more likely winners, but they had a couple of scares while the clock was ticking down as a Prakorn free-kick and a Assaming shot flew inches wide of the target for Police.

Pipob's header did hit the top of the bar from a corner on the 87th minute, yet the late drama wasn't finished as the second half sub's short pass cut through the Police back line and Adul netted from an acute angle to win the three points for the Sharks.

At 1-0, Police seemed content to sit on their lead and were happy to call for the stretcher boys to waste time when they should have been trying to double their advantage. For anybody familiar with the TPL, there are no prises for guessing who the prime suspect was. The Insee are dropping close to the relegation zone, but with an abundance of home games to come in the second leg, they should be able to secure their predicted mid-table finish.

For Chonburi, even the most optimistic of the Blue Bloods would sympathize that the TPL is out of their reach this season. However, I'm sure most of them would concur that you always start with your strongest 11 no matter who your opponents are. Chonburi's rotation policy got out of jail tonight, but on other nights they might not be so fortunate.

Thai Port 1-0 Chonburi

Thai Port moved into the top half of the TPL courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Chonburi.

The 4pm kick off started in Khlong Toei with barely a few hundred spectators inside the PAT Stadium. If the game had been played on a weekend, I'm sure the crowd for the opening of the match would have been quadrupled.

The game though was a decent throughout as both teams had numerous chances.

The best effort of the first half came shortly before the interval when Pipob's header from a Therdsak cross was fantastically blocked by Munze with his right leg.

Shortly into the second half, the home side's keeper was called upon again to beat away a Highuchi shot from close range with his right arm.

As the game entered the final third, Chonburi seemed to lose impotence upfront as Thai Port began to press for a winner. The threat of Ekkapoom was evident all game, and with 10 minutes left on the clock, the wee man was at the near post to nod in a Mongkol freekick.

The rest of the game was most noticeable for Chonburi's keeper Sintaweechai attempting to play centre forward for the Sharks as they desperately searched for an equalizer.

Tonight was one of those games that could have gone either way. Had it been played earlier in the season when Chonburi were on fine form, or even when Thai Port were going through their wretched run under Thongchai when he first took over, then I'm sure Chonburi would have won this game. Today though, Thai Port played with the spirit that has seen them take 10 points out of the last 12.

Attendance: 2*15 - I didn't hear correctly what the 2nd digit was :(