DX Academy is an amateur football club formed in 2010 and based in the Sam Khok District of Pathum Thani, to the north of Bangkok that offers football to juniors through to a senior side that competes in the Bangkok Premier League and Thailand Amateur League.
Playing senior home games at Royal Irrigation Department Stadium in Pak Kret, DX ended as runners-up in the BPL during the 2021-22 season after earlier finishing second in Bangkok Perimeter Group A in the Amateur League as DX FC.
DX Academy comntinued to play in the Bangkok Premier League Division 1 in the 2022-23 season while continuing to develop their junior sections thereafter.
My visit
DX Academy 3 Hippo FC 3 – Hippo win 5-4 on penalties. (Sunday 9th October 2022) Bangkok Premier League FA Cup (att: c60)
I'm always on the lookout for doubling up fixtures wherever possible and this game worked out perfectly. Well sort of as I will explain later. A new ground for me also added to the attraction and it would be later be followed by Muang Thong United v Port FC which I was really looking forward to.
My appetite had been wetted the previous day when I saw an absolute cracker in which Kasem Bundit University had come from three goals down to defeat Bangkok FC 5-3. A van continued my good mood dropping me at Hollywood World in Pak Kret in good time.
After a bite to eat it took twenty minutes walk along Tiwanon Road to the Royal Irrigation Department. Once inside the grounds I soon found the football stadium, as it is grandly titled, before eventually finding the entrance in the opposite corner.
And what a venue it is, with two large covered metal stands with steep rakes down one side and a grand pavilion flanked with other buildings and random seating opposite. The pitch was large and in pristine condition. I don’t suppose the irrigation department get caught out in the rainy season.
It looked a fascinating contest with Hippo crowned as Division 1 champions a few weeks earlier and DK Academy earning promotion from the league below. I was not to be let down in what was a cracking encounter.
We had a late kick off owing to an earlier game overrunning which was not good for my plans. A demolition was taking place of a large structure behind one goal in case of boredom, but there would be no worries on that front.
The champions who had won away to Ngob-Dang Kamphengphet in the FA Cup the previous Wednesday were in the ascendency in the early stages as Congolese striker Fundi Tresor just failed to connect properly with a low Atthaphon Chaya cross.
However, they would go on to take the lead on eighteen minutes when an excellent left foot cross from Nathakorn Klanwaree found Tresor whose initial header was blocked on the line before he followed up to score.
The lead lasted less than a minute as DK, with the speedy Ratanatham Pandee impressing, drew level through Pakpoom Mee Winch. Inspired by the cheering home support the youngsters took the lead when a low diagonal free kick was flicked in at the near post by Thanayot Sophaphon.
I had a wander round the ground after watching from one of the stands and it was good to see a decent number of enthusiastic family orientated spectators in attendance. We saw the scored restored to parity with the last kick of the half when Tresor scored from the penalty spot.
At half time players of Yingcharoen and TJ Bangplee City began to arrive for their cup tie that was taking place after the conclusion of this game. I felt that the Hippo coaches had words with their charges at half time as they came out all guns blazing.
The introduction of pacy, inventive, and tricky substitute Simba Masala Blaise added to their attacking armory. They went 3-2 up when a lovely slide rule pass put in Tresor. Rather than being greedy and trying to bag his hattrick he laid the ball square to Sitthinarong Wongwan who finished coolly.
Hippo employed a good high press which did not allow DX to get going for some time, but they withstood the pressure and fought back in a pulsating encounter. The leveller came when a low bobbling shot from Phumiphat Khanyot escaped keeper Panuwat Kopatta to nestle in the corner of the net.
My eyes were on the clock as I didn’t want to be late for my “main” match, having experienced nightmare traffic approaching the Thunderdome in the past, so I wanted until the board for added time was displayed by the female assistant.
Wandering outside I could still see the action but try as they might with a succession of corners, Hippo could not grab a winner. I headed away for a taxi and they won on penalties. A fantastic match and great advert for local amateur football.
As it transpired Muang Thong v Port was probably the worst game I had seen since my arrival full time in Thailand. Its as well that the hospitality shown from Thai and expat home fans towards me sort of made up for it. Though the Thais didn’t know I was cheering for Port as the banning of their fans meant I was dressed in my Scarborough shirt.
As a footnote a few days later, Hippo FC received a dream draw in the FA Cup when they were pulled out to play away against no other than Muang Thong United. Don’t you just love football!