Island a leg up on Valley
By Travis Paterson - Victoria News - June 04, 2008
[IMG]http://media.bclocalnews.com/images/320*214/NewS.36.20080603122347.VISLAllStar2bwJune0408_20080604.jpg[/IMG]
Victoria star Chris Merriman gets by Fraser Valley all star Liam Breen Sunday at Hampton Park. Victoria won the game 4-3.
Sharon Tiffin/News staff
Annual all-star contest physical, emotional battle
Players were clearly on edge for the first match of the two-game, all-star soccer series between the Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley men’s leagues.
Spectators were treated to a fast-paced and highly motivated game – much more emotional then an all-star title might suggest.
VISL completed a comeback to win the first game 4-3 Sunday. The contest featured high-level plays and a flurry of yellow cards, many of which could have been considered red-card infractions had it not been an all-star situation.
A lone red card was handed out midway through the second half, handicapping a spirited Fraser Valley side.
Bays United coach Rich Fast, who had the honour of managing the
VISL side, was surprised by the way it turned out.
“I didn’t expect the level of intensity to be this high, I guess this is what you get when you have players who’re competitive, want to win, and don’t know much about each other.”
Fast cited the unfamiliarity factor as the biggest reason. “The only time our players see them is in (the provincial cup).”
At no time did the pace slow, as each
VISL man played at least a half, although the shape of the game changed dramatically once Fraser Valley’s Andrew Slane received a red card.
Mike Baldwin opened Fraser Valley’s scoring on a penalty shot in the first half while Chris Kydd and Slane chipped in their second and third goals, staking the Valley to a 3-2 lead.
Late in the second half the Valley’s midfield and forwards picked
VISL apart to tie the game 2-2, and it controlled the flow of the game.
But a Pat Gawrys tap-in and a Craig Robertson header from a corner-kick scramble gave the Island club the lead.
VISL controlled the final 10 minutes after the Valley went to nine players.
“It was the most competitive all-star game I’ve seen in a long time,” said Fast. “At the return game over there, we’ll have to match their intensity. Whoever commits to travel over will play at least a half.”
Steve Gateley and Kellen Holden scored the first half goals for
VISL.
Thomas Mills, president of the Fraser Valley soccer league, and coach of their all-star team commented on the rough aspect.
“Sometimes you get to that edge, and it’s hard not for it to spill over. It was a little distasteful today and the banter was edgy,” said Mills, adding, “it’s better than an easy win where nobody cares.
“It shows there's bragging rights with that trophy up for grabs. I’m proud of the players for leading the game twice (before
VISL came back).”
“It’s full value – their heart is in it, and that’s what you want,” said Kjeld Brodsgaard, president of the
VISL and co-organizer of the tournament with Mills.
The masters game was a much more composed affair that saw Fraser Valley win 2-0 on goals by the Clarke brothers, Gord and Mike.
All 17 of
VISL’s over-35 players made it into the game.
“We carried the game for the first ten minutes,” said striker/midfielder Tim Slevan, who is part of the B.C. champion UVic Alumni team who made up the core of the all-star team.
“They just crossed a couple of balls and got good deflections which fell right on the foot, and that was the difference,” said Slevan.
Things may change next weekend in game two of the all-star challenge when the Fraser Valley Masters team will feature five of the Surrey Rangers players, the team who faced the UVic Alumni in the B.C. final last month.
Just as Gorge is heavily represented in the
VISL open mens the Masters team is heavy on UVic Alumni, who will want to re-assert their strong play by evening up the 2-0 deficit on aggregate.
sports@vicnews.com