MATCH REPORT

Weekly Roundup - January 31st & February 1st

By Marion F Dent
Press Associates

Player of the Week Diana Artuso MWSLPremier

The weekend proved to be an unbeaten weekend for our six teams in action with three wins and three ties.

The mens premier team kicked off the weekend on the Turf at Cloverdale and ended up with a 1-1 tie with long time rivals Metro-Ford. The early part of the game belonged to the visitors as United struggled to repeat last week’s brilliant performance. Striker Dave Hleucka had United’s best chance pouncing on a goalkeeper mis-kick but hurried his shot and fired over the bar. Then a few minutes later he was forced to leave the game after a brutal tackle had scythed him down in the box. That signaled the return of Shawn Blakeway who had been absent from the line-up since the Nationals with an abdominal injury. Following a goalless half Metro-Ford opened the scoring at the sixty minute mark when a piercing through ball sent their midfielder racing through to score from just inside the penalty area. United responded ten minutes later when great determination by Cory Janzen to get onto the end of a Luke Ash free-kick and set-up a heading opportunity for last season’s league leading scorer Shawn Blakeway to clinically nod the ball past the visitor’s keeper. The tie really didn’t help either side in the standings.

The division one game between the same two clubs who were both near the top of their respective divisions was another hard fought tense affair and followed the pattern of the senior game. The game was scoreless at the half but this time United took the lead scoring on a spectacular individual effort from Maarten Koorn who hammered home a twenty five yard shot past a stunned keeper. This time Metro-Ford rallied strongly and tied up the game with ten minutes remaining to grab a share of the points.

The third home tie of the weekend came the following day when United’s Under 21 squad tied the third placed Burnaby Canadians 0-0 at Cloverdale. United enjoyed the better of the play in a game where chances at both ends were at a premium. Surrey did get the ball in the net but their effort was disallowed on a very marginal offside call. The two teams will meet again in cup-play in two weeks time.

With the Division Two game postponed due to field conditions it was left to the masters to get fly the mens’s flag and they did so with a very unconvincing manner despite the eventual 5-1 scoreline. The visiting Aldergrove team missed several early chances before United took the lead at the twentieth minute when following some neat inter-passing play Steve Reed broke through to slot the ball past the keeper. United added a second just before the interval to give them a comfortable lead but Aldergrove reduced the deficit early in the second half. They then put United under considerable pressure for the next fifteen minutes during which time the Surrey goal survived some narrow escapes. However, a quick counter attack caught Aldergrove off guard and a surging run by Spiro Pegios saw him collect a perfect cross and then slot the ball into the corner of the net. The goal knocked the wind out of the Aldergrove sails and United added two late goals from Ian Farquhar and Dave Ellenwood to leave them with a flattering 5-1 scoreline.

In Women’s action it was cup week-end and both of our ladies teams emerged victorious after the first round of cup play.

The premier team took little time to demolish Premier B team Burnaby Canadians as they built up a 4-0 lead after only twenty minutes to put the result beyond doubt and ended up winning 6-0. Diana Artuso scored three and also had a pair of assists, Martina Holan continued her scoring ways by notching one goal and four assists. United’s other goals came from Megan Blaker and Sara Maglio.

In Division one action United beat North Shore Red Socks 2-1 in an entertaining game at Cloverdale Athletic Park on Sunday. United were missing several regulars including both their keeper and the back-up. Jen Hleucka donned the gloves for the first time in many years and did a fantastic job and the one goal to get past her was a miscued clearing attempt in the fortieth minute that fell to an unmarked forward in the six yard box. The goal tied the game for the visitors after United had opened the scoring at the twenty five minute mark after some nice set-up play by Dayna Steele and Carly Dupas resulted in the latter crossing perfectly for Kaitlen Clarke to collect; then deek the keeper and slide it into the unguarded net. United completely dominated the second half play keeping the opposition pinned in their own half. They finally grabbed the game winner in the seventy fifth minute whenErin Buettner pounced onto a poor clearance and from eighteen yards out hammered a curling shot into the top corner of the net.

Diana Artuso with three goals and two assists wins this week’s player of the week award. Each Weekly Winner will have their name entered into a random draw for the month for Dinner for Two.