Mens PREMIER
Surrey United Firefighters advanced to the semi-finals of the Provincial cup with a 3-0 victory over Port Moody Gunners at Cloverdale on Sunday. The young United side missing many regulars and featuring three 17 year old in the starting line-up struggled in the first half to find their normal form and although they enjoyed plenty of possession the final ball into the penalty area was lacking in quality and consequently they produced very few clear cut chances. Similar to the premier women’s premier team earlier in the day the introduction of experienced substitutes at half-time proved to be key with Niall Thompson and Jeff Clarke coming onto to have an immediate impact on United’s tempo and sense of purpose. With virtually his first touch of the ball Thompson’s headed flick sent Rizal Ganief racing through but he screwed his shot narrowly wide of the target. United were now attacking in waves and Ganief had another effort cleared off the line by a defender with the goalkeeper beaten on the play. Surrey were bombarding the visitors goal with shots and in the 52nd minute striker Angus Burke beat the keeper with a low shot only to watch in vain to see his effort strike the post and rebound to safety. Ganief then set up Thompson with a great chance but the veteran also screwed his effort wide of the target maybe adding to the belief that maybe this was going to be one of those days. However, in the 61st minute after so much pressure Surrey finally broke the deadlock when Vinny Stewart's measured right wing cross found Clarke in the middle of the penalty area and the former Whitecap captain sidestepped a defender before slotting the ball into the corner of the net. The Firefighters continued to press and got the insurance marker in the 80th minute when Clarke this time turned provider when he slid a glorious ball into the path of Stewart who hammered a right foot shot from 25 yards into the top corner of the net. The Cloverdale based club rounded out the scoring in the 87th minute when Ganief found Thompson on the left edge of the penalty area where the veteran curled a right foot shot into the far corner of the net. Steve McAuley and 17 year old Graham Spink played well in the heart of the United defence and Lucas Barrett again worked tirelessly in midfield against the Fraser Valley squad who battled hard but rarely threatened United goalkeeper Drew Smiley who recorded the shut-out.
Mens CAT “A” DIVISION
Season complete.
Mens CAT “B” DIVISION
Season complete.
Mens MASTERS
The Surrey United Masters recent great run of form in the second half of the season came to a sad end losing 2-0 to Westside in provincial cup Quarter final play at Cloverdale on Sunday. The game was a very close affair and was finely balanced between the two teams with both sides having good opportunities to score before Westside got the go ahead goal in the 74th minute. Surrey responded superbly and pressed forward winning a succession of corners and had one effort cleared off the line by a defender with more than just a suspicious hint of a handball that went undetected. As United pressed forward in search of the equalizer they conceded a second goal in the third minute of extra time after losing possession and presenting the visitors with a breakaway opportunity which they converted.
Ladies PREMIER
The six time defending Provincial champions Surrey United started slowly against Westside in their provincial cup Quarter final game at Cloverdale on Sunday but a strong second half performance enabled them to register a comfortable 3-0 victory over a tough opponent. United were denied a goal in the fifth minute of play when Nicole Stewart’s twenty yard drive was tipped over the bar by the visitor’s keeper after great work by Katie Thorlakson had set up the opportunity. Thorlakson was very impressive and her excellent solo run down the left five minutes later took her past two defenders before squaring the ball to Natalie Halcro who lifted her shot over the gaping goal. At the 25 minute mark Thorlakson produced a similar run only this time her cross cannoned off a defender and hit the post. With the game scoreless at half-time United brought on veterans Megan Blaker and Sharon Lehnert in an attempt to produce more attacking play and it almost produced an immediate dividend but Lehnert’s header was well saved by the Westside keeper. In the 49th minute of play United broke the deadlock when Kim McMullen’s free-kick was headed towards goal by Randee Hermus but was cleared off the line by a Westside defender but went straight back to Hermus who headed home the second attempt. Westside had their moments and from one of their corners United defender Ari Adams, guarding the far, post cleared the ball off the goal line. United grabbed their insurance marker in the 65th minute when Rachel Pelat broke up an attack and sent Thorlakson away to the goal-line where she cleverly cut the ball back into the middle for Blaker to tap home from close range. United rounded out the scoring in the 83rd minute when Caitlyn Young sent Pelat racing through who lifted a high shot over the keeper high into the net from twenty yards.
Ladies DIVISION ONE
Season complete.
Player of the Week
This week’s Player of the Week goes to full-back Rachel Pelat of the Womens Premier team for her outstanding display which saw her grab a goal and an assist in helping her team advance to the semi-finals of the Provincial Cup.