A week after settling for a draw knocked the Surrey United Firefighters from first place, the Vancouver Metro Soccer League team moved back into the top spot after their rivals met the same fate.
The Coquitlam Metro Ford Wolves were held to a 1-1 draw on the road Friday night against West Vancouver, allowing United to slip past them in the Premier Division standings with their convincing 4-0 decision over Delta United Saturday afternoon in Cloverdale.
Surrey, the defending Premier Division champions, moved one point up on the Wolves with a 16-3-3 (won-tied-lost) record. Both teams have four games to play, including a head-to-head match tomorrow (Saturday) at 3 p.m. at Town Centre in Coquitlam.
The Firefighters wasted little time taking a lead on Delta, scoring after just five minutes when Andrew Proctor tapped in a cross from Mason Webb.
Surrey doubled their lead just before the break when a shot from Rizal Ganief was deflected by former United defender Shawn Blakeway, now in a Delta uniform, for an own goal.
Angus Burke added his league-leading 16th goal of the season 10 minutes into the second half, then Proctor notched his second of the game on a cross from Jeff Clarke.
Paul Shepherd made a number of outstanding saves for the shutout.
Delta remained in third place in the Premier Division, finishing the week four points up on both Richmond FC Hibernians and Columbus. Delta defeated the last place Serbian White Eagles last Wednesday (Feb. 2), overcoming a 2-0 halftime deficit. Mike Gomes netted a pair for United, with Harprett Khakh tallying the wining goal and Garrett Peters scoring an insurance marker.
Delta will host ICST Pegasus Sunday at 2 p.m. at John Oliver Park.
Pegasus kept their hold on sixth place in the 14-team Premier Division after they played to a scoreless tie with Richmond FC Friday night at Newton Athletic Park.
Andy Singh kept the fourth-place Richmond squad from scoring, helping Pegasus stay one point ahead of West Vancouver.
The Punjab Hurricanes won for the seventh time in their first season in the Premier Division, blanking Westside 1-0 Saturday in Vancouver. The Hurricanes, in 10th place and four points up on both Sapperton and Croatia FC.
Josh Bennett scored the game’s lone goal, converting from the penalty spot after Manvir Brar was fouled in the penalty area with less than five minutes to play.
Sheldon Steenhuis earned the shutout for the Hurricanes, who will host seventh-place West Vancouver tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Newton Athletic Park.
– North Delta United remained in seventh place in the Premier Division of the Fraser Valley Soccer League after a 2-1 loss to Athletic Club. Steve Otten was the lone scorer for North Delta.
