The weekend kicked off on Friday night with the Mens premier team recording a second successive win by thumping Khalsa 5-0 on the Cloverdale turf. United completely dominated all facets of the game from start to finish and the score-line could quite easily have been even more emphatic if Surrey would have finished off a number of other great scoring opportunities. Surrey United started the game strongly and midfielders Dave Hleucka and Gareth Wilkshire both fired wide of the target in the opening ten minutes. However, United finally opened the scoring in the 15th minute when sweeper Martin Schaefer burst through the middle, evaded two defenders challenges and then rounded the keeper to slip the ball into the unguarded net. The goal gave United further confidence and they came streaming forward in search of further goals and added a second 7 minutes later when a great through ball from Niall Thompson sent Cam Wilson clear and from fifteen yards out he calmly slotted the ball into the corner of the net. Ten minutes later United added a third when midfielders Thompson and Todd Stauber carved out an opportunity for striker Shawn Blakeway who rounded off the flowing move by volleying the ball into the net off the cross-bar. In the second half United ensured there was to be no heroic comeback and at the 60minute mark added a fourth when Thompson again fed Wilson who burst past the defenders and hammered a low shot past the stranded keeper. Thompson crowned a fine performance by adding the fifth ten minutes later when he received a return pass from Blakeway and then faked the shot to send the keeper the wrong way before tucking the ball into the opposite corner of the net. United keeper Drew Smiley was rarely troubled but did make one fine save in each half to record the shut-out.

Both the division one team and division two team had needless road trips to Vancouver as their scheduled games were subsequently cancelled due to the adverse field conditions. Our masters team had a bye this weekend.

The mens Under 21 squad finished off the weekend for the club with a Monday night game on the turf in North Vancouver where the Norvan Saints avenged an earlier season loss to our lads winning 1-0 which was the same as the score in the previous game. After some concerted pressure by United it was Norvan who scored against the run of play midway through the first frame when they capitalized on a defensive mistake. United’s cause received a boost five minutes before the half when the home side were reduced to 10 men following a red card infraction. United piled on the pressure in the second half and were soon awarded a penalty shot which the usually reliable Chris Powell fired over the bar. With Norvan sitting back packing their own penalty area it was pretty much one way traffic for the entire second half but alas United were unable to convert their numerous chances into scoring opportunities and unbelievably came away empty handed from the game.

On the ladies front our Womens premier team followed up last week’s fine performance with a 5-1 thumping of arch-rival and title contender UBC Sportstown. United took advantage of an injury depleted UBC line-up to avenge the earlier season 1-0 defeat. Surrey opened the scoring at the ten minute mark when Jill Stewart fired home from close range after some hectic action in the penalty area.

United’s early joy though was short-lived when UBC tied up the scores five minutes later when a rising high shot eluded the outstretched clutches of United keeper Stephannie Weston. However, with their renewed focus and national experience to fall back on United maintained their confident assured play and regained the lead when Martina Holan-Franko fired a great pass into the path of Sharon Lehnert who calmly slotted away her sixth goal of the season.

Ten minutes before the interval United grabbed the insurance marker when Lehnert this time became the provider and Holan-Franko the scorer. UBC’s young players worked very hard but effort alone was not going to beat the defending provincial champions and United veteran Geri Donnelly spotting the opposing keeper off her line provided the young netminder a learning lesson by lobbing the ball into the net from thirty yards. The contest was over at this stage as United eased their way through the rest of the game scoring one more goal from Holan-Franko when she fired home a low shot for her seventh goal of the season with impressive substitute Natalie Halcro providing the assist. The win coupled with a surprising tie with SBBA for fellow contenders Coquitlam City left the United ladies all alone in first place in the standings.

Our new Ladies Under 21 team playing immediately after the premier team ended up with a comfortable 3-0 win against a defiant Westside team who defended doggedly throughout the game to restrict the number of goal-scoring opportunities for the normally free-scoring United forwards. United finally broke the scoring deadlock in the 79th minute when a glorious through ball by Ally Pross sent Krystle Gauvin racing clear. Gauvin skillfully rounded the advancing keeper and then hammered the game winner into the back of the net. United increased their lead three minutes later when Pross hammered home a spectacular right foot shot from twenty yards that rocketed into the top corner of the net. United’s third soon followed when a clever run by Moira Betuzzi ended up with her delivering a delicate pass into the path of Gauvin who calmly tucked away her second goal of the game. Keeper Kendra Klemke recorded her fifth shut-out of the season. The win coupled with a surprising loss for fellow contenders ICFS left the United ladies all alone in first place in the standings and provides United with an even greater incentive for next week’s encounter between the two teams where a win for the United ladies would give them a six point lead over the second place team.

The ladies division one team also left it late to score when Ellen Malterer added a goal in injury time to earn United a 3-3 away tie against Aldergrove Wanderers in an entertaining game. In fact, the tie was a testament to the ladies determined comeback as they found themselves two goals down midway through the first half. However, Kim Ashford reduced the deficit five minutes before the interval and then Malterer tied up the game virtually straight from the kick-off when her powerful header beat the Aldergrove keeper. Aldergrove regained the lead midway through the second half before Malterer’s late heroics earned a share of the points.

Cam Wilson of the Men’s premier team who scored two goals and set-up another has been selected as this week’s player of the week. Each Weekly Winner will have their name entered into a random draw for the monthly prize of for Dinner for Two.