Chilliwack FC’s Pacific Coast Soccer League reserve women saw a familiar script play out at home Wednesday night.
Great goaltending. Great defence.
But no goals in a 1-0 loss to Richmond’s TSS Academy Black at Townsend Park.
“It was a really good game with an unfortunate result,” said Chilliwack coach Glenn Wilson. “But it’s not something we’re getting too hung up on because there were so many positives.”
Playing the top team record-wise (6-0-1) in the nine-team circuit, the last place locals (0-5-1) had more possession and created more chances.
“More chances than we’ve had in any game this season,” Wilson noted.
The coach saw his hard working but snake-bitten strikers get behind the TSS defence for good looks, and he saw them gaining confidence as the game went on. Attacking midfielder Dariann Kloot had three or four strikes on net.
“The game was a confidence booster for all the girls, who saw that there’s not a big difference between the top and bottom of this league,” he said. “Obviously, we won’t win until we score goals, and it’s tough knowing that if you leak one goal, that causes a loss. But I think our strikers have it in them to finish opportunities, and all it might take is one goal for the floodgates to open.”
Chilliwack finds itself five points out of fourth place and a playoff spot, though it’s more of a seven or eight point deficit when games-in-hand are factored in.
Mathematically, leapfrogging five teams is doable. With his team running out of wiggle room, Wilson knows it must start now.
“We’re got three games over the next little while, and with the way we’re playing and the opponents we’re playing, our situation could change in a hurry,” he said. “With the scoring, it’s a mental game. They have to believe, have to have that single-mindedness around the net. We can build on technique in training, but they have to believe.”
Chilliwack faces the Mid Isle Highlanders on the road June 15. The next home game is June 16, 2 p.m. at Townsend Park versus West Vancouver FC.
