Vernon Toyota squeaked out a 1-0 win over the Pushor Mitchell Rented Mules of Kelowna in Okanagan Men’s 35+ Soccer League play Monday night at Marshall Field #2.
Toyota was without any substitutions for most of the game with two men down to injuries early on.
Darrin Collie scored the lone goal by drilling the ball into the back of the net from the six-yard box. Dan Curtis spotted Collie after a great individual effort to save the ball from the end line.
Curtis pulled the ball back to his left foot and delivered it with precision to the waiting Collie. Toyota pushed hard for the remainder of the game but failed to capitalize on their chances.
Marty Steele was a workhorse for Toyota filling in at striker for an absent John Orton. Once again, the Toyota defensive line was virtually impenetrable and allowed keeper Colin McDonell to have an easy night.
In Okanagan Oldtimers 45+ League play, Big O Tire Ogopogos gained their first points of the year with a 1-0 upset over Okanagan Spring Brewery at Marshall Field #1.
The back line of Mike Adams, Volker Otto, Dave Hampton, Rob Culos and Kerry Zubot played a close-checking game against the high-scoring Mike Lloyd and Spring’s other forwards.
Adams, freshly back from dealing with his new addition in the family, was the Huggies Man of the Match, doing a superb job as stopper and running the back line with lots of verbal direction.
Forward Ruben Cervantes made several great crosses to the front of the Spring net with no luck. Cervantes finally took a shot from the left side into the sun and over the ducking Spring keeper Mike Zuber’s head into the corner of the net.
Mark Wasylyk and Henry Czerwonka had great chances in the game as well for the Ogopogos.
With three minutes left, Wayne Aasen of Spring went down in the 18-yard box. Lloyd took the kick and blasted it right over Big O keeper Paul Hunter’s head and off the crossbar.
Gord Howard scored twice as the Hi-Pro Sportswear Camels bounced Brandt’s Creek Pub 2-1 at Parkinson.
Howard, who was stopped on a breakaway in the second minute, grabbed a rebound off an Al Murphy shot and buried it post and in, midway through the first half. The pub crew equalized moments after Camel midfielder Dan Zieske received a gift pass from the keeper, but shot it right back at him.
After a handball by Brandt’s early in the second half, Howard nailed a strike right at the keeper and knocked in the rebound.
The Silver Stars shut down the Kelowna Rented Mules 2-0 at Marshall #4.
Rick Danyluk’s corner in the 25th minute found Kevin Cowley, who controlled the ball with his first touch and banged it home from 12 yards.
The Stars got insurance in the 75th minute when an Art Renaud free kick from the right was headed against the post by sweeper Dan Ondzik and put away by stopper John Burns.
Wil Kruiper pulled the hat trick as the North Country Kickers of Kelowna beat Penticton United 4-0, while Salmon Arm grounded Lake Country 3-1.
