The second week of the
season kicked off with Surrey United playing Sporting Club at Cloverdale
in a game that featured the two teams that finished in first and
second place in the Premier “B” Division last season.
After a lively start by the visitors, United came back strongly
to dominate the first half but they failed to capitalize on three
chances with Dave Hleucka firing wide of the target, Christian Harbo
heading wide and Sean Crocker robbed by a fine diving save. The
game remained scoreless until Surrey finally broke the deadlock
in the 65th minute when midfielder Christian Harbo headed home a
Luke Ash free kick. Six minutes later Sporting’s VMSL All-star
Gomes brothers combined to create a quick counter attack when Mike
Gomes burst down the middle and then threaded a great through ball
for his brother Mark to take in his stride and the chip the ball
over the advancing Drew Smiley. While the remainder of the game
continued to be entertaining there was no further scoring although
Smiley did have to make a great save to ensure the points were shared
equally between the two teams.
In the first division game between the same two clubs United came
storming out right from the kick-off and pounded the Sporting team
before they knew what had happened. Striker Evan Howard scored the
opening goal racing onto a Chris Powell shot before chipping a great
left foot shot from twenty yards over the advancing keeper and into
the net. United poured forward in search of more goals and indeed
added a second when Cam Wilson fired home a perfect left wing cross
from Powell. Shortly afterwards Wilson fired home his second from
the penalty spot after being brought down in full flight in the
penalty area. United managed a fourth before the interval when Slavic
Bielawski pounced on a half clearance just outside the penalty area
and hammered the loose ball into the roof of the net from thirty
yards. By comparison the second half was something of an anti-climax
as United squandered a bunch of clear-cut chances that should have
produced an even more emphatic victory but still managed to add
a further tally from man of the match Chris Powell. United keeper
Geoff Ayi-Bonte made a couple of great saves to preserve the 5-0
margin of the victory and to record the always impressive shut-out.
On Sunday the division two mens team maintained their winning record
by beating Croatia Classic 3-1 in Vancouver. United dominated most
of the half but had little to show for their territorial possession
until Nick Gollogly latched onto a Brendan Wilkinson flick at a
corner-kick to lash the ball home from close range. United grabbed
two second half goals from substitute Trevor Tagieff to secure the
victory but were unable to preserve the shut-out for deputy keeper
Ryan Erickson when they surrendered a controversial goal which looked
well over the dead ball line before their striker pulled it back
and hammer a low shot.
The mens Under 21 team opened their new campaign with a home game
against Norvan Saints at Cloverdale in a game that could have gone
either way. In the first half United came close to taking the lead
but unfortunately striker Evan Howard’s left foot shot which
beat the keeper then hit the post and rebounded to safety. In the
second half, United finally broke the deadlock at the 70th minute
thanks to a piece of individual brilliance by Les Antone. Les, outmuscled
an opponent on the half way line to win possession and then outpaced
two defenders before cracking a powerful left foot shot past a bewildered
keeper. Norvan rallied strongly and had plenty of pressure but United
held them off the score-sheet thanks to two great saves by keeper
Taylor Weakes that preserved both the shut-out and the victory.
The mens masters team lost their first home game of the season
3-2 to arch-rivals Surrey Fireman Rangers at Cloverdale Athletic
park. The Rangers were short handed for most of the game after one
of their players was sent-off in the first half for a disgraceful
two footed tackle. However, the much younger Rangers proved to be
a match for the defending provincial champions and took the lead
before Bill Muirhead set-up Kelly Bey for the first half equalizer.
Then the Rangers added two further goals before Tom McQuade got
a late goal to reduce the deficit. The two game winless streak is
their worst in their history but there is still too much talent
on the team not to turnaround the results before they take off for
the nationals. Frankly, I pity the next team that has to face them.
On the ladies front our womens premier team lost 1-0 away to their
old rivals UBC Sportstown in a game where their failure to finish
off their numerous close range chances came back to cost them dearly
when opponent Andrea Neil sealed the game with a 35yard strike that
roofed the net to bag all three points.
|
|
Our new Ladies Under 21 team faced Norvan in their first home game
and they did not disappoint winning 6-0 to follow up their last
week’s 7-0 away victory.
The goalscoring this week came from some different players though
with Moyra Betuzzi nabbing two goals in the first half and with
Charday Vonic adding the other first half marker. The second half
pattern of the game remained the same as United poured forward in
search of further goals which came from the boots of Sheena Sandhu,
Angelica Singh, and Araiannna Torabian. Goalkeeper Kendra Klemke
recorded her second successive shut-out.
The ladies division one team lost their first home game of the
season failing to score in the game and came out losing 2-0 to Aldergrove
Wanderers who scored a goal in either half.
Chris Powell of the Mens Division One Team team and who scored
one goal and set-up two 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.
|
