TTM 0-0 Krabi

It was a drab game between two mediocre sides. Looking at the positives, both sides seem fine defensively. However, they both seem rather toothless up front.

TTM 1-2 Rayong United

Final Score

Rayong United claimed their first win in seven matches with two goals from striker Ladule. There was early and late drama with Rayong Utd scoring their first goal ten seconds after kick off while in injury time TTM's Sidibe skied a penalty over the bar to consign TTM to a 2-1 defeat.

The struggling duo were given a boost yesterday when the TPL announced that they will expand the top league to 20 teams for 2014. The knock-on effect for Division 1 clubs mean that there will only be two relegation slots as apposed to four. That meant TTM came into this contest ten points clear of danger while Rayong United's target to safety has been cut from twelve to eight points.

The new tenants of the Ramkhamhaeng University Stadium kicked the match off in front of a paltry crowd of 233 and they were behind in an instant of the starting whistle. A long ball over the TTM rearguard sailed over Nguemaleu's head kindly into the path of Ladule who beat Pirot to open the scoring.

Poramat could have increased the lead in the 12th minute but his low shot from the edge of the box trickled wide of the post.

TTM gradually edged their way into the game with Jin Han Joo pulling the strings in midfield while the striking duo of Sohna and Sidibe began to threaten. Sidibe should have levelled in the 35th minute when he weakly headed straight at the keeper following a cross from Rattakit.

Nevertheless, the Tobacco Monopoly levelled three minutes later when Sohna glanced his header home from Jirawat's cross.

The Elephant Warriors responded positively but Wuttipan was rather wasteful with a couple of chances as it ended 1-1 at the break.

Scrappy stuff

The second half never got going as it became scrappy and was littered with frivolous fouls. Saknarin's free kick from the halfway line almost left Pirot with egg on his face as he scrambled across his goal to palm the ball around the post while TTM's Yoo Hong Youl's header across goal crept agonisingly wide of the post.

The winning goal arrived ten minutes from time courtesy of Ladule. Saknarin played in the Californian who beat the offside trap before he easily rounded Pirot to score. The TTM cheer squad weren't impressed with the lack of offside call and spent the next five minutes squawking into their megaphone to express their disapproval.

However, the referee wasn't such a bad egg after all when he awarded TTM a penalty on the stroke of full time. Saranyu carelessly tripped Rattakit on the edge of the box and the referee correctly pointed to the penalty spot. Sidibe's stuttered run for the penalty ended with him blazing the ball miles over the bar.

The win for Rayong United would have been slightly tarnished after Rayong FC won and Ayutthaya picked up a point in Phuket.  The Elephant Warriors are six points from safety with eight games left. It's most likely too big a gap to retrieve and if they are relegated, you just wonder where they'll end up next season after stints in Kleang and Prachinburi.

TTM are the ultimate Travelling Wilburys yet it seems Lopburi is their desired destination. The fans and club seem insistent to call themselves TTM Lopburi and barring a catastrophe, they should pick up enough points to start 2014 as a first division side. Whatever happens, I can't see them starting next season in Ramkhamhaeng.

Ladule - Man of the Match

Man of the Match: Ladule - His brace could prove vital to Rayong United's destination

Rayong FC 2-0 TTM

Two bad goalkeeping judgements were the difference between two relegation threatened sides as Rayong FC beat TTM 2-0.

The first error made by Shota Wada was to palm the ball out for a corner as it was harmlessly sailing out for a goal kick. The resultant corner from Sirisak was flicked in by the head of Suriyakan at the near post to give the Wild Horses the lead on 18 minutes.

Seven minutes later, a corner delivery from the same player was flapped at by Shota and Walther Henri gladly fired home to double the lead.

In all honesty, there wasn't much between the two sides in the first half. The closest TTM came to scoring was a dipping 30 yard free kick from Joo Jin Hak that hit the bar on the stroke of half time.

The second half never really got going despite TTM making a double substitution at the break. Sohna's spectacular overhead kick from 25 yards was the highlight of the early stages of the second period. The fact that it went out for a throw in shows how little there was to report.

Joo Jin Hak was TTM's best offensive player and his low drive fizzed narrowly past the post with 13 minutes left.

Rayong FC held out somewhat comfortably for a 2-0 win to lift themselves to within two points from safety. On watching this today, I'd be very surprised if both of these sides are in Division 1 next season. TTM have a couple of decent players, but the majority of them wouldn't stand out in the regional league. Rayong are a well organized unit with limited ability at this level, yet they could stay up if they added a couple of quality players in the forthcoming transfer window.

Man of the Match: Walther Henri - Scored a goal and helped to keep a clean sheet

Rayong FC take a 1-0 lead

TTM 1-4 Singh Tarua

Singh Tarua eased to a comfortable victory as they beat a lackluster TTM side 4-1.

Straight from the off, it was the away side that opened up on the front foot.

The first goal came after 10 minutes when a Leandro volley on the turn found the top corner after the TTM defence failed to clear the danger.

It seemed like it was only a matter of time until Singh Tarua added a second, but they were hit with a sucker punch midway through the opening period when Yodsak spectacularly volleyed home on the backfoot to convert a Naret cross.

The goal stunned the guests, but within a minute they were back in front when Ali Diarra squared for the Ayutthaya target, Kim Ba We, to fire low with his left foot past Shota Wada.

TTM's Japanese keeper was hardly convincing throughout, yet he produced the save of the match shortly before half time to thwart Leandro Luz.

As the interval was imminent, Leandro set up Kittipong to give the guests a 3-1 advantage at the break.

With the game won, Singh Tarua didn't need to be too adventurous after the interval and their second half efforts were slightly flat compared to that of the first 45 minutes. Nevertheless, TTM looked like a side that were just going through the motions and they rarely threatened to get back into the game.

In the final minute, Ali Diarra lambasted a shot from the right into the top corner to seal a painless victory for Singh Tarua.

It's hard to judge Tarua's promotion credentials on this match as TTM were abysmal. As Lennox Lewis once stated, "you can only beat what's put in front of you," so if that's case, Singh Tarua certainly passed the test.

For TTM, they have 19 games left to save themselves from plummeting from the TPL to the regional leagues in successive seasons. On today's evidence though, it appears they'll be able to choose which one of the six regional leagues they wish to relocate too.

Man of the Match: Leandro Luz

4-1 Game Over

Thai FA Cup Round 1 Results

Air Force 0-1 Phuket
Bangkok FC 2-1 Ang Thong
BBCU 5-0 Lampang
Nakhon Pathom Utd 2-2 Nonthaburi (4-5 pens)
Nakhon Ratchasima 4-0 Chachoengsao
Narathiwat Utd 1-1 Siam Navy (2-3 pens)
Phatthalung 1-0 Samut Sakhon
Prachuab 3-1 Ayutthaya
PTT Rayong 2-0 Rayong Utd (AET)
Rayong FC 2-1 Sriracha
Samut Prakan Utd 1-2 Khon Kaen
Singh Tarua 8-1 Thai Honda
Trat 2-1 Krabi
TTM 2-0 Saraburi

Bunyajinda Stadium

I was at the TTM v Saraburi tie to witness TTM's first victory of the 2013 season. Vigan latched onto a through ball from the middle of the park to open the scoring before a Aleksander free kick sealed the contest midway through the second half. Narongsak should have done better with his first half effort and Julio Ceser came close in the second for Saraburi, but overall it was a deserved win for TTM.
Phatthalung, Nonthaburi and Prachuab are the only three regional league sides left in the competition. The Swiftlets edged out Samut Sakhon 1-0 while Prachuab sent struggling Ayutthaya packing with a 3-1 victory. Nonthaburi eventually prevailed after a penalty shoot out saw them oust Nakhon Pathom.
Heavy home victories for Singh Tarua and BBCU somewhat highlighted the difference between the grades as Thai Honda and Lampang were trounced.