Mens PREMIER
Surrey United Firefighters the last surviving VMSL team lost a hard fought encounter 2-1 to Gorge F C in the Mens Provincial Cup Final at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria on Sunday.
The Cloverdale based team who had won both the League and the Imperial Cup were denied the treble and chose the wrong time to suffer their first loss in their last 21 games which also denied them the opportunity to accompany their Ladies Premier team to PEI.
Surrey dug themselves too big a hole spotting Gorge a first half 2-0 lead on goals by Sean Battistoni and Kellen Holden. Surrey tried gallantly to recover and minutes before half time United striker Rizal Ganief fired a glorious chance against the cross-bar when a goal would have served as a massive incentive for a second half revival.
Gorge defended for dear life in the second half as Surrey rolled into the Gorge end like a red wave. However, for all their effort and pressure United squandered too many chances by firing recklessly wide or over the target although a Vince Stewart effort did graze the upright. Substitute Niall Thompson scored a late consolation goal but it was too little too late and Gorge were able to hang on to secure their fourth championship in the last ten years which is a tremendous accomplishment.
Mens CAT “A” DIVISION
Season complete.
Mens CAT “B” DIVISION
Season complete.
Mens MASTERS
The Masters Cup Final also pitted the same two clubs as the Imperial Cup Final and was staged as a double header at Kinsman Stadium on Saturday. Surrey United took the lead early when in the 7th minute when Murray Howes hit a dangerous free-kick from 35 yards out which the West Van keeper Jason Marras could only parry and United’s Steve McCaw following up on the play coolly headed the ball home. The game was a physical affair from both teams with many good tackles all over the pitch. In the 38th minute Surrey forward Brent Roberts and West Vancouver’s Darren Knott were both harshly shown red cards after both players got into an altercation. This was a huge loss for United as the speedy Roberts was unsettling the West Vancouver defenders with his pace and dangerous runs. West Vancouver had a couple of decent shots in the first half but most of them were from long range and Angelo Bonetti was only really tested once just before the interval saving well from a close range attempt. In the second half West Vancouver continued to push forward in search of the tying goal and although they had plenty of pressure most of their shots were either off target or just from too far out to be considered dangerous. However, that changed with seven minutes of the game remaining when West Vancouver substitute Danny Vaughn came scored in close with a very tight angled shot after turning sharply in the six yard box. Surrey United stormed back down the field almost from the kickoff and caught West Vancouver on a dangerous 2 on 1 breakaway. Carson Drayson outpaced the defender and slid the ball over to the unmarked Darren Villars but somehow Marras was able to get a hand on the shot from Villars who was only 8 yards out and produced what proved to be a game winning save. Two minutes later United had a second player red carded after midfielder Darren Holze was forced to grab the West Vancouver forward player for a last man professional foul an automatic ejection. With two minutes remaining in regulation play United suffered the cruelest of blows when Vaughn again sprung free and coolly slotted a low shot into the net to seal the win for the West Vancouver team.
Ladies PREMIER
Surrey United avenged an earlier cup loss against the North Shore Renegades by beating them 4-0 in the Provincial Cup Final at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria on Saturday to secure their seventh straight Provincial Cup which establishes them in the Canadian Soccer Association record books as being the only team to attend seven successive National Championships.
United suffered an early scare in the game when after only five minutes of play defender Ari Adams cleared the ball off the goal line to deny North Shore a goal. However, it only served as a wake-up call for the defending champions and they responded magnificently forcing the opposing keeper into making three fine saves at the other end. United’s dominant play was finally rewarded with a goal in the 23rd minute when Rachael Pelat’s right wing cross was chested down by striker Katie Thorlakson for team mate Kaylyn Kyle to run onto and a lash a powerful left foot shot into the far corner of the net.
Surrey continued to set the tempo and force the play and 15 minutes later added a second when Pelat hammered another right wing cross into the penalty area where a North shore defender, under pressure from Thorlakson and Randee Hermus, could only deflect the ball past her own goalkeeper. In the last few minutes of the first half North Shore were awarded a free-kick at the top of the penalty area but they only succeeded in chipping the kick straight into the arms of Surrey goalkeeper Theresa Nuttall.
Any thoughts North Shore might have had about mounting a second half come-back were quickly dispelled three minutes into the second frame. United won a free-kick just inside the opponents half and Kim McMullen’s lofted kick eluded the grasps of the North Shore goalkeeper leaving Kyle free to head the ball into the open net. United continued to push forward with authority and missed a couple of glorious scoring opportunities before Kyle completed her hat-trick by scoring United’s fourth in the 80th minute when she hammered a low shot into the net from fifteen yards following a neat passing play involving Hermus and Thorlakson.
Ladies DIVISION ONE
Season complete.
Player of the Week
This week’s Player of the Week goes to Kaylyn Kyle of the Womens Premier team for her outstanding attacking display in scoring three goals to enable her team to advance to their seventh consecutive National Championship.