Vernon Kal Tire overcame a slow start and settled for a 4-4 draw with Tree Brewing in a battle of last-place teams in Okanagan Men’s 35+ Soccer League action Monday night in Rutland.
Miscommunication on the Kal Tire back end allowed the brew crew to strike early.
After a short lightning delay, play resumed and a Kal Tire defender hauled down an opponent in the box for a penalty kick. Dan Curtis, filling in at keeper, got his hands on the ball but it wasn’t enough to keep the ball out of the net.
The tiremen then went on a tear, courtesy of a David Broadhurst natural hat trick.
Broadhurst, making his Kal Tire debut, scored his first off a wind-aided kick from 40 yards out that curved spectacularly over all the defenders and past the keeper.
Darren Nobrega added a fourth goal on a brilliant pass across the box from Michael Arding.
Tree Brewing equalized in the last eight minutes, with the final goal coming off a free kick for a disputed call by the ref outside the Kal Tire box.
Man of the Match honours were shared by Broadhurst and Curtis. Both teams are 1-8-2.
Box office boys surprise Celtic
Sixth-place Select your Tickets upended third-place Vernon Celtic 2-0 at Mission 74 Field in Kelowna.
Celtic, who have beaten some of the top teams, only to stumble against weaker opposition, welcomed back talented striker Bryan Schenker from injury, but were not able to spring him for a goal. Also back from injury were Volker Otto and Rod Valdivieso.
Nolan Clark, sporting a new goatee, turned in a spirited performance in a variety of positions, and Dave Dobernigg impressed in his Celtic debut. Jesse Knight set up Geoff Straight for a good chance early in the game which slipped wide of the net. Ryan Sharpe and Rodney Goodchild also missed on solid chances for the 6-3-2 Celtic.
Select your Tickets (5-6) played a strong defensive game and capitalized on two chances in the second half.
Camels spook Ogopogos
In men’s 45+ action Monday night, the Leko PreCast Camels scored on their first possession and went on to ice the Big O Tire/Turn-Key Ogopogos 3-1 on Marshall #1.
The 10-2 Camels took the opening kickoff and worked the ball up-field where Dan Zieske chipped a ball over stand-in Big O keeper Paul Hunter from the top of the 18 just 40 seconds into the game.
Aided by the wind, Humpbacks’ striker Gord Howard completed his team’s offence before the break. His first goal came off a feed from Zieske, the second was generated by a Jeff Vest free kick to Chris Reeves, who wheeled up the left wing before sending Howard in on a partial breakaway.
Big O had their chances, with Roland Riedstra and Mark Wasylyk missing on break-ins. The tiremen (6-6) finally spoiled Dave Dutcher’s shutout bid with four minutes to play when Wasylyk put a cross to Riedstra, who found the top corner with a well-struck kick.
Kickers tax accountants
Vernon’s Bosman Accounting bowed 4-1 to North Country Appraisals Kickers of Kelowna at Marshall #2.
The 3-9 accountants went up 1-0 at the half when Ian Murphy scored on a broken play after Bob Fleming and Kevin Mitchell worked the ball deep.
Guy Paulsen was stellar in net with four huge saves in first half for Bosman. Pete Richter went in net for the second half. Centre defender Tom Ouchi and centre midfielder Hans Edblad shined for Bosman.
The Kickers, recording their fifth straight win to improve to 7-4-1, went down to 10 men when striker Wil Kruiper picked up a red card before the half. North Country used a heavy wind advantage to score four times, three of them by Sergio Sartori, after the break.
Stars fall in Summerland
Vernon’s Silver Stars fell 4-2 to first-place Penticton on a stormy Monday night in Summerland.
Penticton, now 11-1, enjoyed the bulk of the play in first 20 minutes, with Zeke Pescada controlling the midfield. They opened the scoring when Pescada played a brilliant through ball to one of his forwards, who made no mistake putting it far side past keeper Ted Lurkins.
With 10 minutes remaining in the half, a giveaway by a Star defender allowed Rob Jackson a free shot from 25 yards that he looped in under the crossbar.
Another defensive gaffe put Penticton up 3-0 three minutes into the second half, but then the 4-4-4 Stars turned up their offence. Art Renaud drew a foul in the 18 and Rick Danyluk stepped up to take the penalty. However, the strain of his upcoming marriage left him distracted and he put the ball well wide of the net.
The Stars were then awarded a free kick from 25 yards. Steve Coombs ripped a shot while Penticton was setting up its wall. The ball hit the post and then deflected off the keeper’s back and into the net.
Penticton made it 4-1 before the Stars responded when John Burns headed a corner on net and converted his own rebound.
Bopp big for Salmon Arm
In other 45+ action at Parkinson Fields in Kelowna, Salmon Arm used a Wolfgang Bopp hat trick to brush back host Kelowna’s Cantina’s Pub 6-3.
Jonathon Bugden chipped in a deuce for 7-4-1 Salmon Arm, who also got a single from Johannes Schnieder.
Salmon Arm carried most of the play, just missing on several other chances. Cantina’s (2-10) capitalized on a penalty kick resulting from a hand ball, and a couple of defensive miscues by Salmon Arm.
Rutland Spirit recorded their first win of the season, surprising Lake Country 3-2 at Parkinson.
The Spirit are 1-10-1, while Lake Country dipped to 5-5.
