MATCH REPORT

Weekly Roundup - January 24th & 25th

By Marion F Dent
Press Associates

	Player of the Week Martina Holan MWSL Premier VMSL Under 21 Surrey United 5-1 SBAA Saints December 14, Fleetwood Click here for multi-photo slideshow

The men’s division one team visited Richmond United on the Saturday and came away with a convincing 5-0 victory. United took the game to the home side right from the kick-off but squandered some easy scoring chances before Evan Howard opened the scoring in the twentieth minute. Richmond were rarely able to get out of their own half and felll another goal behind when a free-kick by Rob Wilson was touched on by Sena Kelly to Jacob Lensky who pulled the goalkeeper to one side of the net and then cheekily tucked the ball into the opposing corner. The result was never in doubt form that moment forward and in the second half Sean Kelly with two and a single form Maarten Koorn completed the scoring.

The Men’s premier team faced ICFS Inter in a rematch of last year’s provincial final and United turned in their best performance of the season despite surrendering a late goal to deprive them of a fully deserved victory and forcing them to settle for a 1-1 tie. United stared the game in a determined manner and attacked the home side constantly created openings. One flowing move resulted in a great cross from Gareth Wilkshire that Darren Villars steered towards the goal only to see it hit the keeper and the defender before deflecting for a corner. Though, virtually pinned deep in their half Inter caught United on a quick counter attack that resulted in United conceding a penalty kick after Peter Hjorth had upended the Inter forward. The offence clearly took part outside the box but nonetheless the referee was adamant and pointed to the spot. Justice was served when the resulting kick was fired wide of the Surrey goal. United did not allow the situation to throw them off their game and came roaring back to win a corner. Vince Stewart’s pre-rehearsed corner kick was perfectly flighted and Gareth Wilkshire headed home in glorious fashion. United continued to sparkle with some eye catching soccer and both Trevor Rosencrans and Cory Janzen were denied on breakaways. Trevor’s shot was deflected over the bar and Cory’s effort hit the bar as United just couldn’t get the necessary touch to notch the insurance marker. It proved costly for with four minutes of the game remaining United only partially cleared their lines and Inter equalized with a cracking shot form twenty five yards that flew into the top corner of the net. The loss of the three points was somewhat disappointing but could not detract from the quality of the performance.

The Men’s Under 21 team ended up with a comfortable 4-0 win over Pegasus Rangers at Cloverdale Athletic park. After a fairly even opening period of play United got into their stride and took over complete control of the game with Kyle Krois, Lee Grant, Andrew Oliver and Kent O’Connor all hitting the target for the home side.

The men’s division two and men’s masters teams both had their games postponed due to field conditions.

In ladies action both teams had opportunities to avenge last week’s defeats at the hands of the same opposition and did so in convincing style. In the ladies division one game Surrey United rebounded from last week’s setback with a clinical performance to down Aldergrove 3-0 at Cloverdale Athletic park. Leading scorer was again led the way in the 29th minute when she raced onto a superb through ball from Katherine fast which split the Aldergrove defence allowing Clarke to beat the visiting keeper with a low shot form twelve yards. Erin Slack increased United’s margin nine minutes later when she pounced onto a rebound in the area to score from close range after the Aldergrove keeper failed to hold on to a hard shot from Carly Dupas. The second half belonged exclusively to United as they constantly exposed the Aldergrove left flank and after many close attempts they were finally rewarded with another goal in the 85th minute when Dupas got her first of the season sliding in to redirect a centering pass from Clarke.

In the premier game United visited rivals UBC in Vancouver and secured a very well earned 4-0 victory with easily their most convincing performance of the season. United pressed forward right from the kick-off and were rewarded with a goal at the fifteen minute mark. A great right wing cross caused all sorts of panic in the opponents six yard box and as defenders and forwards slid in it was United’s Martina Holan who got the last touch to force the ball over the line and give United the lead. Ten minutes later Martina scored again when following some great set-up work from Kate Qually and Diana Artuso she picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and hammered the ball into the top corner. With a comfortable 2-0 lead at the interval United continued to push forward in the second half and Holan completed her hat-trick slotting home a great cut-back pass from Bianca Wilkinson. It was Bianca who rounded out United’s scoring in the seventy-fifth minute when she slotted the ball home into an empty net after Sara Maglio’s cross had wrong footed the opposing defenders and the keeper.

The following Tuesday United’s ladies played Coquitlam in a game that would determine who finished in first place. United needed the vistory to ensure that would happen and came up a little short tying the game 1-1 at Burnaby lake. The first half play was fairly even but Coquitlam got the all important goal in first half injury time. United responded well in the second half and tied the game up after sixty minutes when Megan Blaker scored with a low shot form close range. United came charging forward in search of the winner and two great efforts saved by the home keeper and when Andrea Sumner’s shot hit the bar and then the upright but still stayed out of the net you got the feeling that it wasn’t going to United’s night.

Martina Holan with her three goal performance against UBC 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.