GAS arrived in Pattaya with minds set on avenging the pre-season defeat suffered on their last visit to the seaside village and knowing that they need to get back to winning ways after the disappointing defeat the weekend previous.
Another change in formation meant that GAS went with a 4-3-3 set up and a couple of new players making their debuts along with a first start of the season for Dominik in goal and returns for Tan and Carl at the back.
GAS started immediately on the front foot with the front 3 of Johann, Martin and Dome pressing high on the backline of Pattaya city and forcing them into a couple of early mistakes. The deadlock was broken early on after some good link up play in the middle of the park and the ball eventually came to new started Martin on the byline who cut a lovely ball back to the shortest lad on the pitch (and probably the league) Tommy Almond to head home from just outside the six-yard box and give GAS a deserved lead.
Despite looking comfortable and seemingly destined to increase their lead, Pattaya City creating one or 2 worrying openings before GAS did finally get the second goal. Coming from a well worked short corner between Dome and Johann, it was the latter who lofted the ball over to the back stick where the little man Tommy Almond arrived to thump it home on the volley and send GAS into the break with a comfortable 2-0 lead.
HT saw a few changes to the GAS line up and the second half began a bit slower than the first had finished with GAS taking a couple of minutes to find their rhythm again. 2-0 is always a dangerous score-line and despite having some great opportunities to extend their lead were unable to capitalize. However, it was a dominant display with the hosts hardly creating any chances of note and that dominance was finally converted into 3 points and Tom Pound bagged his first of the season following another neat team move.
Knowing that GD could be key this season, GAS continued to push forward in search of further goals and the game eventually finished 4-0 in their favour after the lanky lad from Stoke got his second of the game, taking it round the Pattaya City keeper and comfortably sliding home from the angle.
Final score – Pattaya City 0 – 4 GAS
MOM – Tom ‘Murgz’ Murgatroyd