North Enderby Timber moved six points clear of idle Turn-Key Controls atop the North Okanagan Soccer League Wednesday.
NET doubled up shorthanded Salmon Arm Couvas 4-2 at Marshall Field to improve to 13-1-2 and 41 points. Turn-Key (11-1-2) have two games in hand. Courvas is alone in third place at 7-5-3.
Brent Poulsen opened the scoring with the goal of the night after a Graham Ross cross was deflected high in the air. Poulsen hit a one-touch volley from 18 yards into the back of the net.
Poulsen added a second five minutes later on a breakaway after being sent in by Ross.
Patrick Schindler made it 3-0 in the first half, deflecting in a Poulsen shot from outside the area that fooled everyone.
Lucas Ross added some late insurance on a lengthy solo run up the middle, beating multiple defenders and then the outstretched keeper from 18 yards.
Courvas, who played the match with just nine players, added two late goals on some sloppy Timber giveaways.
Timber defender Ross Macdonald, who was nice enough to supply the post-game beverages for the victory, was unable to drink any as he was taken to the hospital for stiches after taking an elbow to the forehead in the first half. He will, say teammates, make a full recovery.
In Salmon Arm, Clark Richardson exploded for a hat trick in consecutive games to lift Peters Tirecraft to a 6-3 win over the Revelstoke Stallions.
Peters improves to 5-10-1 while Revelstoke dips to 6-7-1.
Mike Conlin, two minutes in, and Richardson staked the tiremen to a 2-0 lead before Revelstoke responded with a deuce before halftime.
Man of the Match Richardson took a superb long through ball from Conlin a minute after the restart to give Tirecraft the lead.
Brock Reim collected a nifty Dave Matum pass, deked three defenders and blasted a shot into the bottom corner for the fourth goal.
After the Stallions pulled to within 4-3, Richardson completed his hat trick, set up by brother Kyle’s surging run up the centre of the field before sending Clark in on a breakaway.
Dylan Martin finished the scoring from the penalty spot.
Honourable mention for Man of the Match went to Mike Conlin, for his goal and assist, and to Martin for his attacking runs.
Monashee Surveying only had a handful of players so forfeited their game, 1-0, to visiting Salmon Arm Outlaws at Marshall.
