Morning Star Staff
A goal-less semifinal came down to penalties between Brown Benefits and Turn-Key Controls Ogopogos at Beasley Park Monday night and it was the first-place Browns who booked a place in the final in the sixth round of the shootout.
The Browns (19-1-2), who finished 26 points in front of the fifth-place Pogos, will meet Penticton United in the Capri Insurance Men’s 45+ Soccer League final Sunday.
Browns came out strong in the first half and went on the offence but the Turn-Key defence stood strong and blocked several shots. Turn-Key keeper Mike Moorlag recorded a couple of great saves and snuffed out several attacks.
The closest either team came to a goal was a Grant Campbell 50-yard bomb that hit the underside of the Pogo crossbar but bounced out. Browns pressed hard in the final 45 and Chris Young rolled a shot just wide of the post.
Turn-Key started to counter in the late going and Bryan Schenker got a shot away that keeper Steven Heiss swatted away at the near post.
With two minutes left, and penalties looming, Browns coach Scott Sieben made a daring move by replacing Heiss in net with penalty shot specialist Gord Regan. The gamble paid off as Regan made the needed save and Campbell converted his spot kick to send the Browns back to the final.
Turn-Key penalty kick scorers were Volker Otto, Ruben Cervventes, Schenker, and Clint Dickinson. Browns took the shootout 5-4. Turn-Key was up 3-2 before Browns equalized at 4-4 to force extra shooters. Brad Conlin and Rick Danyluk were denied by Regan.
Danyluk, who boosted the back line nicely in the final stages of the season by leaving the wing, did an excellent job shutting sniper Tony Gonzalez all night. Steve Fitzpatrick and Steve Coombs were also dynamite at central fullback.
Penticton shut down sixth-place RPM Automotive 4-1 in the other semifinal with Yann Calmets netting the winner midway through the opening half.
Dave Newman pounded in a rebound off the post from a corker free kick from just outside the 18 to tie things.
Calmets, Grant and Webb added insurance tallies.
