MATCH REPORT

Weekly Roundup: January 7th & 8th

By Marion F Dent
Press Associates

Player of the Week
Dave Hleucka

VMSL Premier

The only team to see action this weekend was the men’s premier team who were missing five first-teamers but they still managed to secure a 2-2 with Sporting Club at Byrne Creek Turf on Sunday in a game that was a re-match of last season’s provincial cup final.

The game was an entertaining affair despite both sides demonstrating throughout that there was some après Christmas rust in evidence. This was apparent in the 8th minute when Sporting’s league leading scorer Ryan Dormer rounded Surrey keeper Drew Smiley and with a gaping goal beckoning, Dormer somehow screwed his left foot shot into the side netting. The play was fairly even but Sporting did eventually open the scoring in the 25th minute when from a corner the ball found it’s way to John Blair whose fierce left foot shot from 8 yards found it’s way through a maze of players into the back of the net.

The goal only served to stir Surrey into greater action and they tied up the game five minutes later when striker Shawn Blakeway blasted the ball into the net from close range after he had pounced onto a headed flick from Surrey centre-back Tom Elliot following a Steve Millar free-kick.

 

Surrey’s aerial dominance was a constant factor and five minutes before the interval they took the lead when Millar and Blakeway combined at a corner-kick to create a chance for Cameron Wilson who lashed the ball into the net from close range.

In the second half, Surrey’s enjoyed plenty of pressure plus a territorial advantage but they were’nt able to add any further goals. Surrey midfielder Clayton Dobbin’s left foot rising twenty yard drive grazed the cross-bar and was the closest the visitors came to scoring in the second frame. With the undermanned Surrey side seemingly headed towards their ninth consecutive victory they received a blow with eight minutes of the game remaining Sporting tied up the game capitalizing on a mistake by United defender Martin Schaefer who lost control of the ball in the penalty area and as both he and Sporting's Trevor Rosencrans slid to reach the ball it somehow squirted past the advancing Smiley for the equalizer.

Dave Hleucka who battled hard throughout the game winning many tackles despite playing with a broken toe was awarded this week’s Player of the Week Award. Each Weekly Winner will have their name entered into a random draw for the monthly prize of for Dinner for Two.

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