(A very useful-looking new arrival. Myanmar international Si Thu Aung. Photo credit: Official Samut Prakan Facebook page)

What's happened since the last blog?

The second half of the season got underway last weekend with a very difficult away trip to top three side Chiang Mai FC.  Tun and I were on holiday in India at the time so unfortunately we had to miss this one. Three cheers for the YouTube live stream though. Samut Prakan battled bravely but were undone by an extremely soft penalty in the 88th minute. The home side then added another goal in extra time to run out 2-0 winners. Watch the match highlights here.

(Big up to the five Samut Prakan fans who not only made the journey but had to endure possibly the worst away zone view in the entire Thai league. Even Chiang Mai FC fans think it's a cruel way to treat visiting supporters. Photo credit: Official Samut Prakan Facebook page) 

One very positive take away was an excellent debut from Samut Prakan's new signing, Si Thu Aung from Myanmar. The attacking midfielder / winger looked very lively and was unlucky not to cap his first appearance with a goal. As well as representing the Myanmar international team, Si Thu has had spells in the Thai league at Chonburi and Ayutthaya. He could prove to be a very useful signing.

(Somewhere in an apartment in deepest Kolkata)  

So it's another tough game with Nakhonsi United the visitors?

Absolutely! The Southern Dragons are currently in second place, a point behind leaders Nongbua (but have tonight's game in hand) and four points above Chiang Mai FC in third. They are surely one of the favourites for automatic promotion and they'll be looking for a maximum three points to take home from Samut Prakan. 

Nakhonsi United's only defeat in this campaign has been a surprise 4-1 drubbing at Chantaburi but it's fair to say that was right at the beginning of the season when they were still finding their feet.

Who's been banging in the goals?

It's almost more fitting to say who hasn't. This is a side that carries goal threats from all over the park. Nanthawat Suankaew, a Thai striker on loan from Port FC, has already hit double figures for the season. Just behind him with 8 and 7 goals respectively are Rodrigo Maranhao, a Brazilian striker who also banged in 33 goals in 64 games while at Phrae FC, and Valdo, a 35-year-old winger who has been around the Thai league for a number of years and enjoyed prolific spells at Trat, Nongbua Pichaya and Thai Honda.    

The last time the clubs met at the Samut Prakan Stadium

Back in October 2022 with Samut Prakan snatching a 1-0 victory thanks to a late strike from Petra Lueca. Probably the Moldovan's finest moment in a Samut Prakan shirt.

The six games that will shape our season

I said during the Christmas break that the first half a dozen games after the restart would be crucial. The first of those already ended in defeat at Chiang Mai FC.

There is now an ominous 5-point gap between 6th place Pattaya United and Samut Prakan. Five points doesn't sound a lot but few teams outside the top six look capable of stringing the necessary two or three wins together in order to get back in the race. It's crucial that gap doesn't become insurmountable and our season fizzles out into nothing more than lower mid-table safety. After today's match against the league leaders, we have a difficult trip to Chiang Mai United, who have only lost one of their last six, and after a winnable home game against struggling Customs United, we have another stern away test at Nakhon Ratchisima. Rounding off those half dozen fixtures is a home game with Suphanburi, a side with a ridiculously good record at the Samut Prakan Stadium.

(Ittiphon would be the Samut Prakan custodian this evening. Photo credit: Official Samut Prakan Facebook page) 

To the match itself

I hate 5.30 pm kick offs. What use are they to anyone? And if you are standing on the popular side at the Samut Prakan Stadium, you get a horrible low setting sun shining into your eyes for the first twenty minutes of the game. However, the impressive Nakhonsi United away support on the other side of the stadium have no such worries, and they are making quite a racket. This is a club with a sizeable Bangkok fan base and they always take significant numbers to matches in the central provinces. Tonight's attendance is an encouraging 580 - at least on paper - but at least 25% must be there cheering the visiting team in red and black.

As for the Samut Prakan team line-up, Ittiphon dons the goalkeeping gloves and as expected, Si Thu Aung makes his Bang Plee debut.

The home side completely dominate the first period with Si Thu Aung looking like one of our missing pieces and oozing quality on the left, but even his performance is being eclipsed by the ever improving Arnont Phumsri over on the other wing. The diminutive number 22 certainly got my vote for Prakan's man of the match.

After the home side start brightly and squander a couple of half chances, it's Nakhonsi midfielder Wanchalerm who goes closest to opening the scoring on the quarter hour mark but sees his rasping drive go just inches over the crossbar. As we approach the half hour, Si Thu Aung has time to pick his spot but shoots straight at the keeper. Goalscoring chances prove to be few and far between but it's arguably one of Samut Prakan's best halves of the season and they've certainly kept Nakhonsi's prolific trio of Rodrigo, Valdo and Nathawat quiet. Truthfully, they haven't had a sniff.    

Half-time: Samut Prakan 0 Nakhonsi United 0

(Photo credit: Official Samut Prakan Facebook page)

There is the feeling that a team flying high in the table and unbeaten in 16 games would perhaps move up a gear in the second period, and so it proves as the match develops into a far more even contest. Samut Prakan are going to have to do it without top striker Fernando though, as injury forces him off during the half-time break.

Arnont Phumsri fires one well over the bar in the early stages while at the other end, Valdo finally comes alive and forces a fingertip save from Ittiphon. Si Thu Aung squanders a golden opportunity on 62 minutes and it's the Myanmar man's corner just minutes later that results in a multiple-player pushing and shoving contest as Nakhonsi keeper Cunningham feels the ball is kicked out of his hand.

Holes start to appear in the Samut Prakan defence as Poomipat pulls a shot wide of the post and then tees up Gustav Sahlin for a headline winner, but the man making his loan debut from Port FC, sidefoots over the bar and can only beat the turf in disgust.  

We go into eight minutes of injury time but this contest has got goalless draw written all over it, regardless. Except it hasn't. Step forward and take a bow Wanchelerm Yingyong as he smashes in a 94th minute piledriver from out of nowhere. The Samut Prakan players collapse where they stand, their hearts and spirits broken.

Time for one last effort, one last hurrah. And with the final play of the evening, second half substitute Sangjin Lee feeds Si Thu Aung, who looks up, takes a deep breath, and curls a delicious equaliser into the corner. The home fans go mental. 

Watch the match highlights

(There's nothing quite like a last minute goal. Photo credit: Official Samut Prakan Facebook page)

Overall thoughts?

Wow! I enjoyed that. Not just the last gasp and thoroughly deserved equalising goal but the team's whole performance over 97 minutes. The new management team have instilled a steely never-say-die attitude into this Samut Prakan side and tonight we made a good Nakhonsi United team look very, very ordinary. Let's see if we can continue in this vein and hopefully pick up some wins in our next few games. 

Who's up next?

We're off to Thailand's second city again as we face the other Chiang Mai lot - Chiang Mai United, on Saturday 20th January at 6.00 pm.  

Going?

Yes, not only are we going but we'll be doing something Tun has never experienced and I haven't done for over 30 years - we'll be travelling up by overnight sleeper train from Bangkok. 

Samut Prakan fixtures 2023/2024