8.20pm: Another Phuket free kick goes astray at the 90 minute mark. It follows a similar free kick at 87 minutes. Just after 90 minutes, Phuket's best chance is missed close to goal. Time is running out for the Hulks, but there's at least another yellow card for a Buriram player - because of slow play. And that's it!
8.10pm: At the 80-minute mark, it's 34 on and 21 out for Buriram. At the 83-minute mark, Phuket takes a sharply angled free kick . . . it's not bad, but no score. Phuket needs inspiration now.
8pm: Ouch! There's a low level foul at the 70 minute mark but it has cost Phuket a free kick to be taken just beyond the box. The Phuket goalie orders up a wall . . . and takes an easy save. Bad luck, Buriram! Four minutes later, it's Phuket's turn from a similar distance out to take a free kick. The curving ball is struck well by No. 25 . . . but the Buriram 'keeper reaches high to reign it in. Shame about that. Phuket substitute No. 30 for No 27 at the 72-minute mark.
7.50pm: No doubt now, it's all in Phuket's half. The Buriram captain is substituted at the 55-minute mark. Two minutes later, Buriram's No. 20 takes another yellow card - that's five in all, three for Buriram.
7.40pm: The second half opens in more sedate fashion than the first, with Buriram's huge fan base giving voice again and the red shirts in control. But then there's Phuket corner No. 10. It ain't over yet. A lot of time is still being spent in the Phuket scoring zone.

Half time score: Buriram 1 Phuket 0. Corners: Phuket 9, Buriram 1. Yellow cards: 2-2 Offside: Phuket 1.

Torrid, uncompromising stuff. If Division One games are going to be like this, expect big crowds of football fans in Phuket.

7.10pm: Another corner for Phuket. Two minutes of injury time added for the first half. Not much time left for Phuket . . . and this time Buriram's No. 31 scores a yellow card. It's a free kick for FC Phuket. Buriram clear, but it's another Phuket corner. We've lost count how many so far.
7.05pm: Buriram scores at the 39-minute mark. It's a defensive mistake and Buriram No. 17 breaks through with a straight shot. It's quickly followed by a yellow card for Phuket's No. 31. C'mon, Hulks, Settle down.
7pm: Phuket's No. 21 breaks free, beats two opponents . . .and shoots. It's a miss, but the most aggressive move of the match so far. Phuket has had 53 percent of the play so far. And take another corner. The Hulks just need to capitalise to win. Buriram is easily winning the fans' chanting competition.
6.55pm: Buriram's first corner kick is followed by another for FC Phuket, their fourth. The tv commentators say Buriram's stronger so far but the run of play doesn't support that viewpoint. Whose side are these guys on? Another corner to Phuket! That's number five. The Buriram coach is on his feet, yelling instructions. Clearly, he doesn't agree with the commentators.
6.50pm: Another yellow card, this time for Buriram's No. 29. The game is being played to a high standard that should attract record numbers to Surakul Stadium in Phuket City when the Division One stuff begins next year. There's no alcohol at this match, probably a good thing. The atmosphere is very intense so far.
6.45pm: FC Phuket has made a great fighting start. A few players must be thinking of Camara Ahmed, whose recovery from an on-field heart attack would be encouraged by another big win. Phuket takes a third corner kick . . . to no avail. No. 27 for FC Phuket earns a yellow card for a bland challenge at the 21 minute mark. Fair go, ref! Buriram responds with a challenge and a shot that goes over the top of their goal.
6.35pm: It's been all FC Phuket so far, with 80 percent of the play and several good attacking moves that had the Buriram defence working overtime. The big crowd and the capital city atmosphere is bringing out the best in the islanders.
6.25pm: The national anthem has been sung and Phuket in black are facing Buriram in red, in front of a large crowd at Bangkok's Suphachalasai Stadium. For the winner: a million baht. The losing team has to settle for 500,000 baht. Some big names from Phuket are in the audience for tonight's match, including club chairman Paiboon Upatising. The team captains exchange flags, the ref's hands are shaken. FC Phuket ''Hulk'' fans are hugely outnumbered, and the Buriram fans have clearly rehearsed some songs. Expect that to change when FC Phuket hits the big time in Division One next year. FC Phuket kicks off . . . it's big game on!


THREE busloads of fans have headed to Bangkok from Phuket for today's showdown between FC Phuket and Buriram FC.

Both sides were group winners in the ascendancy battle to determine which sides deserve to rise to Thailand's Division One. Both sides will go up.

But first, there's today's intense match, with a prize of one million baht for the winner. The match will be on cable tv at T Sport from 6pm, and Phuket bars and restaurants are expected to be bulging.