MATCH REPORT

Weekly Roundup - May 10th

By Marion F Dent
Press Associates

	Players of the Week The whole squad VMSL Premier Click her to see a larger team photo Surrey United Metro Men 3-2 ICSF Inter May 10, Royal Athletic Park, Victoria Click here for multi-photo slideshow Photos by Richard Howes BCFPB

The Men's 'A' Province Cup is ours!

The final week of the winter season saw Surrey United with three teams in the various men's finals and although only one team ended up winning their championship game it was a fantastic achievement for the Club to have three representatives in the finals for the second successive year.

The Under 21 squad which comprised mainly first year players fought tremendously hard throughout their game against Westside

After surrendering two goals but despite a lot of second half possession they were unable to penetrate a tough, uncompromising Westside back line. They were therefore unable to repeat as champions this year but had a great season winning the League Cup in the process.

Similarly the two time winning Surrey United Master's team were unable to "three-pete", losing 4-0 to a COlumbus side that they had beaten in a previous provincial final appearance. United's task was made a little more difficult when after only fifteen minutes, striker Murray Howes was red carded reducing the Surrey side to ten men for the balance of the game. Despite a brave battle United were unable to overcome the disadvantage and two late goals by Columbus distorted the eventual scoreline.

Tyhe glory for United came on this occasion for the men's premier team who earned the victory over ICSF Interby a 3-2 margin in an exciting but not classic match at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria. In the early part of the game it was Inter who enjoyed the better of the early exchanges but United's defence stood firm under the pressure. The game's first goal came at the thirty-five minute mark when from a corner kick Shawn Blakeway's shot hit the post and rebounded to Uniteddefender Graeme Magowan who roofed his shot from closerange giving the Inter keeper no chance on the play. Inter struck back quickly and seven minutes later tied up the score when their centre back Scott Walters was left unmarked at a corner and he slammed in the equaliser.

In the second half United started to dictate the play and pinned Inter back in their own half of the field for sustained periods of play. United's dominace was rewarded at the sixty minute mark when Cory Janzen dummied Shawn Blakeway's right wing cross for Joe Deacon to slam home a left foot shot from the edge of the penalty area. Inter showed they weren't prepared to give up their chance of winning and ten minutes later they tied up the game when their midfielder Tino Cucca had hist first shot blocked but then hammered home the rebound with a fierce left foot shot from eighteen yards.

With the game finel balanced United pushed forward in search of the winner and Darren Villars came mighty close when he cut in from the left and hammered a rising right foot shot narrowly over the crossbar. At the eightieth minute however, Villars rose magnificiently to heard home Craig Dalrymple's free kick into the net. United were in no mood to surrender the lead and although Inter pushed forward with desperation to find yet another equaliser United defended brilliantly to win the championship which will always be regarded as the most defining moment in the historyand evolution of Surrey United Soccer Club.

The team has won many trophies over the years but this has always been regarded as the 'big one'. The prize has been well earned over the past five years so the current squad has been together since that time and is now clearly hitting its peak mainly due to the experience they have acquired together tduring those five years.

This weeks PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD goes to the entire men's premier squad who have won themselves a trip to the national championships. How sweet that sounds, and oh yes...

BON CHANCE!