In Mens premier action the weekend opened on Friday night at the Charles Best Turf field in Coquitlam with a clash between the two divisional leaders who combined to produce a very entertaining affair that featured plenty of good football from both teams and ended in a 1-1 tie. Metro-Ford enjoyed the edge in possession but too many times they came up against a commanding and overpowering Surrey defence. United always looked dangerous on the counter-attack and throughout the game produced the better goal-scoring chances. With the game scoreless at the half Metro-Ford broke the deadlock in the sixtieth minute when a blistering right foot shot from eighteen yards by Azad Palani beat United keeper Drew Smiley. Surrey responded positively by raising their level of play and should have tied the game five minutes later when Shawn Blakeway sent fellow striker Ryan Hopp racing clear but with only the keeper to beat, the usually clinical Hopp squandered the opportunity. However, United did not have to wait much longer for the equalizer and two minutes later when Metro-Ford failed to completely clear a free-kick, United midfielder Matt Mori pounced on the loose ball at the top of the box and hammered a thundering shot past Matt Bird in the Metro-Ford net. With the game see-sawing back and forth in the final fifteen minutes Surrey came close to winning the full three points when left winger Clayton Dobbin hit a wonderful left foot strike from 20 yards that just narrowly missed the target.

On the Saturday the first division game featured the same two clubs but this time the very young United team produced a dazzling performance to beat Metro-Ford 3-0 with a fine display of quality soccer. United who started strongly and took the game to the home team were creative and confident and their early pressure produced a couple of near misses before they d deservedly took the lead at the eighteen minute mark. Some fine link up play down the left by Ryan Stepputat and Ajeet Bains sent United first teamer Clayton Dobbin racing through and he clinically finished with a well placed left foot shot from fifteen yards. Ten minutes later United and Dobbin added their second goal when Ryan Reynolds’ clever header sent Dobbin racing through again and this time he hammered a left foot shot from twenty yards past the despairing clutches of the home team keeper. United surged forward by their dominant midfield trio of Reynolds, Bains and Harpreet Khakh and were unlucky not to increase their lead when Jamie Spendlove’s shot from a tight angle hit the upright and then bounced kindly for Metro-Ford who were able to scramble away the rebound. In the second half, Spendlove was not to be denied his goal. Dobbin’s elusive dribble down the left flank set-up the scoring opportunity for Spendlove who hammered home the cross from close range with authority. United kept up their fierce tempo and skilful soccer for the remainder of the game but were denied further goals when Les Antone, Spendlove and Bains all had goal-bound efforts saved by the Metro-Ford keeper. United ‘s young defence, featuring Matt Osborne, Gurjit Sandhu and Thomas Dotinga were dominant throughout and in addition were instrumental in starting many of the attacks with their creative attacking flair and excellent distribution. Second division keeper Kevin Woronchuk was called up for the game and his competent alert play enabled him and the team to record their first shut-out of the season against one of the better teams they have faced so far.

Also on Saturday the mens division two team were in action and extended their unbeaten streak to four games with a convincing 4-0 away victory against Nomads. United started strongly and took the lead on an early goal by Jordan Gibbs at the seven minute mark.

United dominated the play but misses a succession of chances until they broke open the game with a three goal spell in the last 15 minutes of the opening half. Nick Gollogly and Dale Kahri combined well to create a goal for Chris Roots who finished with a well placed shot. Ezra fenwick making his first appearance of the season following an absence due to injury celebrated the occasion by scoring United’s third goal. Then two minutes before the interval Roots added a second pouncing on a long clearance by Keeper Jim Davis who also went on to record the shut-out. With United enjoying a commanding 4-0 lead at the interval and with the game won the second half play was somewhat lack-lustre as the game fizzled out to its final conclusion.

In mens masters action United chalked up their second successive victory and second successive shut-out for keeper Angelo Bonato by beating Sapperton 3-0 at Cloverdale Athletic Park on Sunday. While the margin of victory was comfortable the game was a close affair for most of the contest. After a fairly even opening thirty minutes of play United opened the scoring when Mike Marini’s pace sent him in behind the defence and his unselfish square pass provided Kelly Bey with an easy tap-in from close range. Sapperton came close on a couple of occasions to levelling the score but when Marini slotted home United’s second at the sixty fifth minute it took the wind out of the Sapperton sails. United added a third ten minutes later when Doug Muirhead hammered a vicious dipping swerving knuckle-baller past the Sapperton keeper.

With the ladies premier enjoying a BYE before they leave for the Nationals on August 4th 2005 it just left our two ladies division one teams to round out the weekend’s play. Our teams had mixed fortunes with our “C” team impressively winning away to Abbotsford Mariners by a 4-0 margin while our Ladies “B” team suffered a heavy defeat losing 5-1 at home to Langley Devils.

The “C” team traveled to Abbotsford looking for their first win of the season and took control of the game right from the beginning. United striker Krystle Gauvin opened the scoring in the tenth minute of the game with a hard low shot into the corner of the net. United grabbed the insurance marker at the thirtieth minute when Jaide Helgason blasted the ball high into the roof of the net after Abby had failed to fully clear a United free=kick effort. Throughout the second half United continued to dominate play and were rewarded with a third goal when Lexi Iggulden headed home from a set-play. United striker Gauvin rounded out the scoring by forcing home the ball after some hard work and set-up play by Tauren Stonehouse and Rani Mallhi.

The “B” team were unfortunate to be without the services of their first choice and second choice keepers which forced one of our outfield players to don the gloves for this weekend’s home game. With the home team down by two goals at the half they faced an uphill battle for the second and despite getting a goal of their own from Carly Dupas the visiting Langley Devils managed three of their own to register an emphatic 5-1 win.

We selected Krystle Gauvin of the Ladies Division1C team as this week’s Player of the Week for her two goal performance in helping her team to record its first victory of the season. Each Weekly Winner will have their name entered into a random draw for the monthly prize of for Dinner for Two.