Pattaya United fell to their tenth Thai Premier League defeat of the season last Sunday as they were overpowered 4-2 by Chainat FC at the Khao Plong Stadium.
The home team took the lead in the 7th minute of the match when forward Somjet Sattabud smartly turned in a right-wing cross from Kerdkaew, but Pattaya hit back on the half hour mark as Efe Obode took a neat return pass from Dyachenko and fired low and hard into the Chainat net.
It looked as though both teams would go in level at the break but 3 minutes before half-time the hosts struck again as some slack marking in the United defence allowed Sattabud space to notch his second.
Pattaya United in action against Chainat at the Khao Plong Stadium, Sunday, May 26. (Photo/Pattaya United/Offside)
Things got worse for United after the restart as first Welshman Michael Byrne fired an unstoppable 25-yard bullet past Pattaya goalkeeper Wichan in the 50th minute to extend Chainat’s lead and they effectively sealed all three points 10 minutes later when Purisai emulated Byrne’s effort, scoring his team’s fourth goal with a curving shot from the edge of the penalty area.
United’s scant consolation came with a second goal deep into injury time as Dolphins’ captain Niweat Siriwong scored with a fine free-kick.
With the five clubs immediately above United all having a game in hand, the Pattaya club are already deeply entrenched in a battle against relegation with the season not even halfway through. The Dolphins next match is away to Songkhla United on Sunday, June 2.
| Team | P | W | D | L | +/- | Pts. |
| Muang Thong United | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 31 |
| Buriram United | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 18 | 27 |
| Chonburi | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 24 |
| Suphanburi | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 22 |
| BEC Tero Sasana | 11 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 20 |
| Chainat | 12 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 |
| TOT | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 18 |
| Bangkok Glass | 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 17 |
| Army United | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 15 |
| Songkhla United | 12 | 3 | 6 | 3 | -5 | 15 |
| Police United | 11 | 2 | 5 | 4 | -5 | 11 |
| Ratchaburi | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -4 | 10 |
| Osotspa | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | -7 | 10 |
| Samut Songkhram | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | -5 | 8 |
| Chiangrai United | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | -7 | 8 |
| Pattaya United | 12 | 2 | 0 | 10 | -15 | 6 |
| Bangkok United | 12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | -14 | 5 |
| Sisaket | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -4 | 1 |
| Results: Sisaket P v P Ratchaburi, Songkhla United 1 v 1 Chonburi, Chiangrai United 0 v 3 BEC Tero Sasana, Police United 1 v 1 Osotspa, Buriram United 3 v 0 Army United, Bangkok Glass 3 v 1 Bangkok United, Suphanburi 3 v 1 TOT, Chainat 4 v 2 Pattaya United, Muang Thong United 2 v 1 Samut Songkhram | ||||||
