MATCH REPORT

Weekly Roundup - September 13th to 15th

By Marion F Dent
Press Associates

Player of the Week Dave Hleucka VMSL Premier

The second week of the season saw Surrey United teams combine for a perfect 6-0 record registering impressive wins in the process. Unfortunately, our Division Two Mens team had a bye week that prevented us from attaining the much coveted but so far elusive 7-0 record.

The men’s first division team started the weekend off for the club on a good note, by securing a comfortable 3-0 away win against Croatia reserves in Richmond on Saturday. Evan Howard maintained his “goal in every game scoring streak” by opening the scoring in the fifth minute clipping home from close range a Chris Powell cross. Fifteen minutes later United notched what proved to be the insurance marker when Maarten Koorn blasted home a sweet shot from eighteen yards after a fine passing play involving Sean Kelly and Ray Christensen. In the second half Howard slammed home his second goal of the game and United’s third at the sixtieth minute when he volleyed home Kelly’s precisely measured corner-kick to complete the scoring. United cruised through the remainder of the game which will only be remembered for a great save by United keeper Jason MacKenzie beating out a close range effort to preserve his second successive shut-out. Sean Kelly grabbed three assists in a strong performance.

On Sunday the defending provincial champion Mens premier team grabbed a late game winner to beat Columbus 5-4 in what became a “last shot wins” contest at Hastings Park in Vancouver. United found themselves a goal down after eight minutes after Columbus’ speedy players caused United some difficulties early in the game. However, Surrey responded well and tied up the game when Dave Hleucka slotted home from twelve yards after some nice link-up play involving Shawn Blakeway, Joe Deacon and Cory Janzen. United looked very purposeful in their play and deservedly took the lead when Hleucka stripped the unsuspecting Columbus defender of the ball, cut inside to round the keeper and slot the ball into the empty net. Ten minutes Hleucka completed his natural hat-trick when he again linked up with Deacon and Janzen to turn sharply inside the penalty area to elude his marker and then steer a precise shot into the corner of the net to give United a 3-1half-time lead.

Early in the second half Hleucka rose magnificently to head a Clayton Dobbin corner-kick against the cross-bar and midfielder Darren Villars reacted quickly to head home the rebound to increase United’s lead to 4-1. Hleucka, Janzen and Blakeway all missed further golden chances to add to United’s tally which almost proved to be catastrophic as Columbus countered with three quick goals in a twenty minute span to take advantage of United’s undisciplined cavalier approach to defence. However, Hleucka saved United some embarrassment by notching his fourth goal of the game and eventual winner by powerfully heading home a Clayton Dobbin free-kick. Dave’s performance earns himself 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.)

The Men’s Under 21 team had to wait until Monday evening for their game but it proved to be worthwhile as they served up a vintage performance to beat Norvan Saints 5-0 at Carson Graham Turf field in North Vancouver. In an effort to provide playing opportunities for all the players United’s starting line-up was missing a number of key players. However, the team did not miss a beat as it started positively and played some eye catching possession football. United opened the scoring in the eighteenth minute when 17 year old Adam Blois stripped a Norvan defender of the possession and then raced through to tuck his shot past the advancing keeper and into the corner of the net. Ten minutes later Surrey increased their lead when a perfect cross-field pass by Craig Riley sent Kyle Krois racing through at top speed and he blasted a fierce low twenty yard shot into the net. You could see the confidence grow in the young team and Rohit Kooner and Wyatt Seddon-Johnstone dominated play in the midfield to ensure United enjoyed were able to maintain possession for sustained periods of play but unfortunately no further goals were added prior to the end of the half.

Any hopes Norvan may have had about getting back into the game in the second frame were quickly dispelled when Surrey added two further goals in the first four minutes. Firstly, Josh Neufeld and Craig Riley combined well to send substitute Sean Kelly racing through the defence and he skillfully guided his shot into the net past the advancing keeper. The next goal came courtesy of a Norvan defender who inadvertently deflected a cross past his own keeper. United rounded out the scoring in the sixty-fifth minute Seddon-Johnstone latched onto a quick throw-in by Sergio Pasqua and rifled a blistering shot into the roof of the net. Similar to the first division game United cruised through the remainder of the match that will be best remembered for two outstanding saves by United keeper Jason MacKenzie from two free-kicks which enabled him to record his third successive shut-out.

In Masters action United registered a 2-0 home victory against Poco Thunder. The game was not quite as close as the scoreline might suggest because Surrey totally dominated the game but proceeded to squander chance after chance. In the first half Spiro Pegios’ right wing cross produced the only goal of the half as it deflected off one of the Poco defenders into his own net. In the second half Mike Marini notched the insurance marker with a superb solo effort that took him past three defenders before slamming the ball into the net. The margin of victory could and should have been much greater but for the woeful finishing.

In ladies action the Division One ladies registered a solid 3-1 victory against Pitt Meadows on Sunday at Cloverdale Athletic Park. United opened the scoring early on in the game when Nicole Gertsen twenty yard free-kick was deflected into the net by a Pitt player. The game flowed back and forth for a while before Pitt Meadows tied up the game at the thirty-fifth minute when their striker lashed the ball home from close range after United had failed to clear a corner-kick. With the game finely balanced United broke the deadlock when Kim Ashford smashed what proved to be the winning goal at the seventieth minute mark. Ten minutes later Ellen Malterer added the insurance marker from close range to maintain her goal a game scoring streak.

In ladies premier play, similar to last week United got off to a quick start and in the third minute it was once again Diana Artuso that hammered home a low shot from eighteen yards after a nice set-up play by Megan Blaker. However, United had to wait until the thirty-fifth minute to increase their lead. Midfielder Vanessa Martino sent Nadia Guglielmini racing through to release a powerful shot which the Westside keeper could only parry and up popped Artuso to fire the rebound into the empty net.

United only dressed eleven players and tired somewhat during the second half as Westside came more into the game. In fact, United keeper Wendy Hawthorne had to make two great saves not only to preserve the shut-out but also the victory.