Unlike the July weather, Turn-Key Controls have been scorching in North Okanagan Soccer League play this month.
The Controllers ran their win streak to four games by stuffing the host Salmon Arm Outlaws 5-0 in a makeup game Monday night.
Turn-Key (9-4-1) opened the scoring in the second minute when Nolan’s Pharamsave Man of the Match Brendan Love headed home an Andrew Pool cross at the back post.
Love returned the favour midway through the half when Pool volleyed home the Love cross to put Turn-Key up by two. Turn-Key sustained pressure and it was Love who kept giving defenders fits when he blasted the ball past the Outlaws’ keeper after an Evan Moore cross, to put Turn-Key ahead 3-0.
Preston Tucker added one more before the half ended when he converted on a through ball pass from Chris Jahnig and danced around the keeper.
The second half saw much of the same from the 9-4-1 Controllers, with Moore finishing off a long throw-in from Jeremy Kler that was flicked forward from Tucker. The Turn-Key defence of Sam Nolan, Carson Haywood-Farmer, Kyle Goodgrove and Bryce Paterson were solid in shutting down the Outlaws in support of Kler and Taylor Horsting who split the shutout.
Celtic fall to Sturgeon Hall
In men’s 35+ league play, the Vernon Celtic lost 5-2 to Kelowna’s Sturgeon Hall FC Monday night at Rutland Sports Fields.
The injury-riddled Celtic (7-4-2) could not upset the strong Sturgeon Hall boys (6-3-3) in a clean, cardless game.
The Celtic opened the scoring within two minutes when Tim McGowan slipped in front of his marker and converted a cross from Jesse Knight.
Sturgeon Hall started to push and forced some acrobatic saves from Mike Collins, who excels in goal week after week and reportedly is followed by several teams in the over 45 league.
Miscommunication in the Celtic defence allowed the hosts to equalize on a corner. Shortly after, Sturgeon Hall took the lead after a fluent combination.
The Celtic did not give up and a strong rush from Chris Ovens was stopped by a foul around the 16-yard box. The ensuing free kick was curled into the top corner by Bryan Schenker.
The Celtic could not celebrate for long as Sturgeon Hall found a way through right after kick-off to take the lead again, just before the break.
To make matters worse, the Celtic lost defensive anchor Jason Beck at halftime with a calf issue. Chris Bader, who walked in the park with his dog, thinking to be a spectator, was forced to get dressed and entered as a substitute.
With half the Celtic team limping around in a fantasy lineup, Sturgeon Hall took full advantage and scored two goals in the second half.
After the game, rookie Ovens went to the washroom to shake off some nerves; teammate Volker Otto thought he left and took his sportsbag home (including his car keys), leaving Ovens all by himself for over an hour in Rutland. The Celtic team is now unsure if Ovens is willing to play anymore away games.
Salmon Arm grounded the shorthanded Vernon Kal Tire 8-0 in other 35+ play at Marshall Field #2. The Shuswap boys went to 7-3-3, while the Tiremen dipped to 1-10-2.
The Big O Tire/Turn-Key Ogopogos clipped the Rented Mules 1-0 in Capri Insurance 45+ league action Monday night.
After confusion on which field to play on earlier in the day, the teams agreed to meet at Kettle Valley and both teams scrambled to contact their players.
Ogopogo stalwart defender Rob Ross unfortunately did not get his e-mail but the Tiremen received stupendous goalkeeping from Fletcher’s Meats Man of the Match Yogi Kongsdorf as they improved to 8-6.
Jenne Huberts cracked open the scoreless game in the second half with a gorgeous header off a cross from Ruben Cerventes. Huber did a perfect front flip to celebrate.
Roland Riedstra had more opportunities than Donald Trump has dollars, but could not register his 10th goal of the year against the stingy 4-8-2 Rented Mule keeper. Leo Nadeau was stellar on defence.
Bosman Accounting got a fabulous showing from defender Gerry Geelkerken as they brushed back Cantinas 2-1 at Marshall #1.
Geelkerken ran miles from his right fullback spot, often running ahead of right winger Kevin Mitchell, to earn the Hotel Amsterdam Man of the Match.
Central midfielder Tom Ouchi put the accountants (4-10) ahead in the 27th minute when he neatly chipped the ball over the onrushing keeper. Alex Yakovlev applied solid pressure to force the turnover.
The accountants went up 2-0 early in the second half when Bob Fleming sent a cross deep inside the box from the left flank. The keeper and Bosman striker Erick Burnet both stared at the loose ball before Mitchell snuck in and left-footed it short side, from three feet.
Cantinas (2-12) applied sustained pressure for the final 20 minutes and pulled within one with eight minutes left on a top-shelf corker by John Schwaiger.
Neil McPhie displayed some fancy footwork while gasping for air out of his comfort zone up front, while Alex DeBoersap, Chris Nielsen and Ted Sheehan sparkled on the back line for Bosman.
Silver Stars shade Spirit 2-1
The Silver Stars scraped out a 2-1 win over the last-place Rutland Spirit at the Quarry in Kelowna.
The Stars opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Rick Danyluk took a shot from a sharp angle and had it deflect in off a Rutland defender.
Rutland tied it up at 20 minutes on a beautiful free kick just under the crossbar from 19 yards out after the Stars’ keeper Ted Lurkins was called for playing the ball outside the box.
The Stars re-took the lead with two minutes remaining in the half as Gerson Betman scored on a volley/chip shot which just snuck in under the crossbar after the Stars had won a corner.
The second half saw the Stars dominate offensively, but not score. The Spirit keeper played well and stopped Danyluk and Ken Rath on several point-blank shots and also forced them to shoot wide on a couple of breakaways. Randy Eyford missed on a rebound in the dying minutes.
The Stars went to 6-4-4 while the Spirit fell to 1-12-1
Penticton ambushes Camels 6-0
League-leading Penticton United ambushed the Leko Precast Camels 6-0 at Dale Meadows Park in Summerland.
Kevin Kothlow notched his first of two in the fifth minute and Darren Schimpf made it 2-0 after knocking in his own rebound after keeper Dave Dutcher’s save.
Penticton (13-1) took full control in the second half on goals by Kothlow, Schimpf, Robert Jackson and Terry Grady.
Camel defender Jeff Vest struck the post on a penalty shot early in the second half and Penticton responded right away with their fourth goal. The Humpbacks, who had just one sub, dropped to 11-3.
Kelowna IGA stayed two points back of United by shelling North Country Appraisals Kickers 7-2 at City Park.
IGA went right after North Country with a display of controlled pressure which carried on all night. Speedster Tony Gonzales netted a hat trick with three very well taken breakaway goals. Dante Zanatta converted a 20-yard free kick which left keeper Marty Vincze stranded. Donny Brown fired in a powerful drive and Lionel Hoffman netted a deuce, including a penalty, to round out the 12-1-1 IGA attack. Greg Bevandick and Mike Francis replied for the 8-5-1 Kickers.
Lake Country bounced Brandt’s Creek 2-0 in a good, clean match at Beasley Park.
Mike Ley, on an early turnover, and Chris Purnell, using his amazing wheels, scored for the 6-6-2 Lakers. Brandt’s dropped to 4-9-1.
