Provincial Cup Men's Open 2008 - Predictions, Results & Banter

[Captain Shamrock]

SU 2 Indo 0

Congratulations to SU. It's not a pretty brand of football but apparently against us it's effective. It was the carbon copy of last week in terms of the first half....they scored with 4 minutes to go on their first chance.

I'll be blunt here. We should have had a penalty when it was 1 - 0. Lavy was bowled over as he was shooting/crossing the ball and the ref said he got the cross in. They scored on a penalty kick a little later, which was definitely a penalty. However, we know how games can turn when a team levels the game up. We had Surrey on their heels at that point and generally had them pinned in their end for most of the second half BUT their defenders were stronger than our forwards. Either that or they wanted it more??????

I've thoroughly enjoyed coaching the ICST boys this year and hope that the same opportunity will arise for next season. There needs to be some changes obviously but overall, it was a great experience.

Good luck to SU the rest of the way.

Stephen

[Hose]

Zenga you are banned for posting any post game comments as per JP. By the way nice kit!

[irish rover]

Unlucky Captain,
I saw the last 20min of the first and the 2nd half. I would have to agree on the missed PK call on Lavy, the ref himself was shocking for both teams on the day but the missed PK call could have had a huge influence on the out come. I will say the final score should have been 3-0, I was standing right there and the ball crossed the line on Millers free kick from 25-30 yards out.

[BlazeArmy]

Should have been a pk call for indoin the second. i was actually at that corner for the second half.

Surrey deservedly won the game mind you. Indo had possession but were useless in the final 3rd. CS is right about the wanting it more , stronger comment.

[gilly]

Provincial preliminaries......

Vantreights 0 Inter 4

We started the game off very well and actually scored a couple of goals that were disallowed for offside. However, as the half proceeded Vantreights gained more confidence and had some chances themselves, especially the bicycle by Moon that just missed. 0-0 at half. 2nd half started just like the first as we had more possession and chances, however, could not take advantage of it. Finally about 15 minutes into the 2nd half, Crouchy does very well to finish a shot from the top of the eighteen. Soon after Tropeano scores to make it 2-0 and you could tell Vantreights are dejected. Vantreights left fullback gets his 2nd caution and is ejected. Crouchy completes his hat-trick as we cruise to a 4-0 win. Corazza actually scored to make it 5-0, however, the linesman and referee concur that Inter took a quick throw-in with the second game ball, while the Vantreight defensemen was busy retrieving the original game ball that he had kicked out of play.

Onto the first round next week against Poco.

Gilly

[knvb]

Originally Posted by J_B

Surrey 2 - Indo 0

Not a very exciting game however there was a huge gust of wind near the end of the second half. KNVB may be able to explain further

Cheers
JB

Top 5 moments of my life I want back...

....At least only 150+ people saw it.

Indo are and have always been such a class organization, I wish them nothing but luck on inevitably there way back up to premier.

many things to comment on about BC Soccer and the dubious decisions on assigning of the "officiating" crews, but best to save that for a rainy day. For now, it’s a win, a very important win, and we’ll take it and move on.

[Sandman]

I'll follow up on knvb's BC Soccer comment...

The most important matches of the year are being played and BC Soccer's decision making process once again blows my mind.

-Two kids on the line that I have never seen before (probably just finished reffing a U-10 silver game)
-In the middle of the park was the linesman from last weekend Imperial Cup Final.

There were three games played today...I can't imagine there was a shortage of experienced officials...I'm sure WAB was available

It was unfair not only to the teams but to the officials as well. The ref was a fish out of water. At least he did a better job than Simon Fearn

I'm not even going to start with the UBC/PCL thing.

Good luck to all,
Sandman

[Wrecking Crew]

After playing the Delta Lions on Friday, hearing about the Metro Ford piss take of Chilliwack on Saturday, and watching the Firemen/Croatia game, some of my early reactions to the BC Soccer decisions were cemented as accurate.

The Delta Lions were a great group of guys that were put in a situation where being successful was not an option. Based on the tournament format this year, they finished off the year at the same level as Firemen!!! The more disturbing notion is that all of the ping pong balls were in the same fish bowl and it very easily could have been West Van and Columbus playing a preliminary game with the winner facing the Delta Lions in the round of 16!!!

Not wanting to be a guy who complains without offering up solutions, I will detail a few points from a proposal that will eventually end up in the hands of the BC Soccer Competition Committee. I will also state that I understand being a member of the VMSL can be seen as a bias but will attempt to keep the best interests of all leagues in mind from a fairness and travel point of view.

In order to make sure that playing league games actually means something when it comes down to Provincial Cup time, I believe there needs to be more of a structured approach to the bracket and a more defined seeding system to allow the tournament to achieve its most important objective...crown the best team as the Provincial champions so they can represent us well at the National Tournament.

A few assumptions that need to be made for this proposal:
1. BC Soccer will continue to grant a spot to the PCSL champs (I don't agree or think it is feasible over the long term)
2. The 20 team format will continue to be 9 VMSL, 5 FVSL, 5 VISL and the aforementioned PCSL champs
3. It is preferrable in the early rounds to avoid playing someone from your own league

Keys to a fair 20 team format that rewards teams for performing well in league standings.
a. The 8 teams competing in the preliminary rounds will be the bottom 4 VMSL teams, the bottom 2 FVSL teams and the bottom 2 VISL teams based on league standings.
b. The 4 VMSL teams will be matched up against one of the other 4 teams and home field advantage can be rotated each year
c. At the start of the season teams know that if they finish, for example, as FVSL #5 they will host a preliminary game vs. VMSL #7
d. The 4 seeded teams are placed in the round of 16 where they play a winner of a preliminary game

A typical round of 16 in this system would then look like this:
Top half of draw-
VMSL #1 vs.
Winner of VMSL #6 and VISL #5

FVSL#2 vs.
VMSL #3

VISL #1 vs.
Winner of VMSL #9 and FVSL #4

VMSL #4 vs.
VISL #3

Bottom Half of Draw
FVSL #1 vs
Winner of VMSL #8 and VISL #4

VMSL #2 vs.
FVSL #3

PCSL #1 vs.
Winner of VMSL #7 and FVSL #5

VISL #2 vs.
VMSL #5

If anybody wishes to comment or provide feedback, this can be tweaked to represent the ideas of all teams and we can then put it to paper and see what BC Soccer does with it.

Cheers,
WC

[Dude]

So what happened cnut? That bitch Lucy pull the football away again?

[LION]

Wrecking Crew,

I agree on your format. Makes sense. Its fair. I and most would like it.

The only arguement from the few/minority is the whole random draw, picking balls out of bowls, fifa style lottery.

Your set up works better with the soccer we have here in B.C.

[Regs]

WC,

Well thought out!

The stickler I see in the set-up is eventually, the VMSL is going to have to give up spots and go "back" to 16 team bracket.

PCSL 1
VISL 4
FVSL 4
VMSL 7

As it stands now, 3/4 of the VMSL Premier division next year will make the dance (Barring Div 1 team upset(s) in Imperial Cup play) - that's too much. VMSL berths should be 4 Imperial Cup and top 3 in the league. OR 2 Imperial Cup and top 5 in the league (I like this better than 4 from the Cup as it rewards teams better for performance over a season).

[Leftonly]

In response to Wrecking Crews post and some of the other comments,

The draw from the inside (now outside, being I play for Firemen) looking at it, is a bit of a joke - but then you look at Cardiff City making the FA cup final and if you give the minnows the chance, and the big dogs slip up, they get what they deserve.

The biggest beef is that you play all year and half way through they change the game plan, 20 teams, no seeding (which is what I would be in favour of for the top 4 from VMSL, Imperial Champions as minnows get in there, top 2 VISL, top 2 FVSL, and PCL is automatically in the prelims.

I watched the second half of the Lions/Clanbus one way traffic, clean the bench, have a laugh and watch Columbus lads bicker at each other as each became more and more selfish to pot the 5th, 6th, 7th (TK put money on it against someone, it would be north of 6 - will collect this weekend TK, cheers: ) I feel bad for a team that has to show up and go through that, what fun could that have been, and soon you had people from the sidelines telling their mates, or kids (not sure) to run someone and gain respect. That's great for the tourney.

As for us - obviously tough first round, (i guess pre lim round and we actually never made the provincials this year to be accurate ). Johnny was top notch for them, as was Darko as the pressure came. Down 2-0 ten mins in, and then figured out Ollie was still hung from Carm's wedding and that skins could get the ball at will and there was no chance Johnny or Ollie were chasing back. Pretty happy with how we battled back, drew the game, but I think the wholesale subs we made (5 in 10 mins I think), and no fault to those who came on, but the momentum and rhythm we gained was lost and the game started to go back and forth, which suits Croatia well and opens things up for Johnny to do his thing and he pots the hat trick. Would be an interesting quarter to see Clanbus vs Croatia again, as I think Columbus has a shot at a repeat.

And for the refs and BC soccer shouts - refs showing up for a 2:30 kick off at 3:00 thinking it was for 3:30, and then watching the linesmen who is late stroll on in 15 mins into the game, no rush mate, get the flag up when you get there son. Oh - and in the Croatians defence, asian line-o we had in the second half, who easily called 25 offsides, was at best right 50 percent of the time, although Johnny cheats very well and many were offside, some were priceless with the ball going 70 yards in the air from Didar, being brought down in our half, and then flag goes up....but that cat had a shocker all season for offsides, and should be relegated to CO-ED where we can toughen him up a bit.

All the best the rest of the way for those left, my call is Surrey vs. West Van in the final - and can't believe I will admit this, but KNVB gets in for 6 mins and pots the winner directly off a heeder from Millars 127th long ball.......KNVB save that paragraph for 4 or 5 weeks time...

AK

[Guinness]

Did you seriously attend UBC? That was a great testimonial.
On a serious note:
Are you coming out to South Surrey this Saturday to watch our provincial cup 1st round match?

[gilly]

I am hoping that someone can clarify this for me, but I thought that cumulative cards did not count during Provincial Cup play. However, upon looking at the excellent site it shows that Clayton Dobbin of Surrey United is suspended. I am assuming it is because of an accumulation of yellow cards throughout the season and Cup play. Either that or he must have been red carded vs Indo?

DOBBIN, Clayton Surrey United 'A' Premier 2008-04-07 1 Game $10

Gilly

[Captain Shamrock]

Gilly, Clayton was yellow carded in the Imperial Cup final.........therefore that game suspension will be for the first game of next season. Good luck this weekend, m8.

[MEAT GRINDER]

Celtic and pau will be a great game this weekend,celtic will win pau will cry. celtic will bring a home game back to the island. good luck to all teams. thanks for 12.30 start , our team is staying in van tonight. nice try .

peacearch is getting logged.

[gilly]

Originally Posted by Captain Shamrock

Gilly, Clayton was yellow carded in the Imperial Cup final.........therefore that game suspension will be for the first game of next season. Good luck this weekend, m8.

Burnsie, Thanks for the clarification.

[BlazeArmy]

Originally Posted by MEAT GRINDER

our team is staying in van tonight. nice try .

Bit early ain't it.

They change the game to Thursday????

[dutch13]

Didnt you know? the island (or just celtic, because they stomp faces so well) is in their own time zone. Its friday there already.

[Guinness]

Meatgrinder must be acclimatizing his squad to the lower mainland. It's an intelligent move really.