Black Cats are lucky cats

Goal hero Pao Phearith, minus his smile, after his strike sealed an historic 1st win

They finally did it. The Black Cats of Chhma Khmao, with their home in Svay Rieng province, and newbies to the Metfone C-League this campaign, pulled off their first win of the season, scoring their first goal and earning their first points, with a 1-nil success against fellow strugglers Wat Phnom. The man with the biggest smile as his team jumped for joy at the final whistle was their skipper Pao Phearith, who led from the front and got the only goal of the game. The relief etched across the faces of his teammates turned to unrestrained joy on the face of Phearith as he went over to shake the hands of all of his opponents. His smile briefly disappeared for my photo before it returned again as he was swept up into the arms of his colleagues. Their victory wasn't a pretty performance but it was a gritty and effective one as the Black Cats snuffed out a toothless Wat Phnom side, coming into the game on the back of two heavy defeats. As for Chhma Khmao, they'd conceded 30 goals in their five previous outings. Their long-awaited goal arrived on the half-hour, with their first real strike on target, and what a strike it was. Pao Phearith picked the ball up twenty yards from goal and unleashed a wicked dipping drive that whistled past Sin Pisal in the Wat Phnom goal for a moment to savour for the goalscorer and his joyous teammates. Wat Phnom sparked briefly after the interval but their finishing was woeful and the Black Cats held on for an historic victory.

The lucky Black Cats of Chhma Khmao came good in their 6th game of the season

It turned out to be a dog's life for Wat Phnom in this bottom of the table clash

Wat Phnom shelter from the scorching sun in the shade of the floodlight pylon during their warm-up