MATCH REPORT

Weekly Roundup - March 29th & 30th

By Marion F Dent
Press Associates

	Surrey United U-21 Intermediate Challenge Cup Winners VMSL U-21 Surey 2-1 Metro Ford Wolves Cup Final, March 30, 2003 Cloverdale Athletic Park Click here for multi-photo slideshow MWSL Premier Surrey 1-2 SBAA Cloverdale Athletic Park, March 30 Surrey women eliminated from Cup play Photos by Richard Howes - BCFPB

Week number 26 the final regular week of the season saw four of our 7 teams in action. The three mens teams won their games and with each of the wins secured a trophy but alas our women’s premier team were stunned losing 2-1 to an SBBA team, who on the day demonstrated the greater desire for victory.

The good news for the men started early on Saturday as the division two team cruised to victory with a 3-0 win over Bombastic in Vancouver. Despite missing several starters United were able to call upon Man of the Match 17 year old Ivan Estrada who maintained an incredible personal record of scoring on his debut for every Men’s Metro and PCSL team. However, it didn’t look likely for a while that he has going to maintain that streak as he missed two glorious first half chances that saw United going in at half-time with a 0-0 score-line. However, early in the second half United were awarded a penalty and young Ivan proudly strode forward but somehow managed to strike his spot shot wide of the target. With the game on the line young Ivan turned his finishing form around and bagged three goals in the remaining thirty minutes to wrap up the divisional championship for the Division Two lads. The Possey brothers Chad and Josh assisted on two of Ivan’s goals and Nick Gollogly and Avi Yakub both helped themselves to an assist, with Kevin Woronchuk in fine goalkeeping form registering the shut-out.

In the masters cup-final at Cloverdale on Sunday United scored early and often registering a comfortable 5-0 win over Aldergrove United in The Fraser valley Masters Challenge Cup. United scored four goals in the first 35 minutes to put the result beyond any doubt and then added a single marker in the second half. Goalscorers were Doug Muirhead, Bill Muirhead, Steve Reed, Bill Connor and Murray Howes.

The Masters final was followed by the Metro Under 21 cup-final at Cloverdale Athletic and United were once again victorious winning an exciting game 2-1 over a talented Metro Ford team. The game started at a frantic pace, which was maintained throughout the whole game, as it flowed back and forth from one end to the other. Surrey winger James Geibelhaus came close to scoring in the first minute but his powerful header just glanced over the cross-bar and then one minute later Surrey striker Sean Kelly broke through and blasted a fierce 18 yard shot narrowly over the cross-bar. Metro-Ford responded immediately and exciting young winger Donald Kamberey finished a tricky left wing dribble by firing a low shot just wide of the upright. The first goal of the game came in the twentieth minute when Surrey striker Jordan Gibbs flicked the ball through for Giebelhaus who beat his defender before firing over a precise left wing cross into the path of Kelly who calmly slotted the ball past Metro-Ford keeper Roman Tulis. Metro-Ford again bounced back strongly and when Surrey failed to clear a deep right wing cross Kamberey pounced on the loose ball and smashed the equaliser past Surrey keeper Jordan Fode. With six minutes remaining before the half United midfielder Lee Grant cleverly chipped the ball over the heads of the Metro-Ford defence for Kelly to run onto and hammer the ball past Tulis once more.

In the second half both teams maintained the hectic pace. Metro-Ford enjoyed the territorial advantage with United content to absorb the pressure with good defence where man of the match most clear cut chances and when Kelly rounded Tulis on a breakaway it looked as though he was bound to notch the hat-trick and add the insurance marker but Kelly lost his footing and slipped allowing the Metro-Ford defence to recover and clear the danger. Kelly who was prominent throughout set up team mate Grant with a great chance but this time Tulis robbed him beating away a twenty-yard rocket. However, United had to endure a few heart stopping moments of their own before the final whistle signalled the victory celebration. The game was exciting to watch and despite the conditions both teams played some good soccer that was a credit to the league.