It was a rematch of last season’s North Okanagan Soccer League final and North Enderby Timber again got the better of Turn-Key FC, winning 2-1 on a rainy Wednesday night at Marshall Field #2.
In what is always a highly-contested battle between the two familar foes, the teams used the drenched field as a launching pad throughout a highly physical, yet clean 90 minutes.
Turn-Key (3-2) came out determined in the first half, using the soggy pitch to move the ball nicely with authority. Nolan’s Pharmasave Man of the Match Nathan Tucker opened the scoring on a beautiful lefty chip that caught NET (3-2) keeper Bryndon Buckham off the line.
Turn-Key carried the play in the first half, using an attack in the midfield led by Evan Moore and Preston Tucker. It was 1-0 at the break.
The second half saw NET make a concerted effort to shut down Turn-Key centre midfields Tucker and Moore which paid dividends as the Timbermen gained an edge in possession.
NET equalized in the 60th minute when some hard work by defender Andy Stein led to a rare breakaway for Aclis Apparel Man of the Match Chris Ovens.
Ovens made a magical cross to Brandon Enair, who kept his left-footed, one-timer low only to be stoned by a diving Gregg Douma for the Total Restoration Save of the Game. Harminder Sandhu outmuscled everyone to the rebound for the tap-in.
NET kept up the strong play leaving little chances to either side in a war of midfields. Late in the second half, Corey Wallis broke free on a breakaway after a great flick from striker Evan Frederick. Wallis outran the Turn-Key defence and calmly slotted the ball bottom, left corner.
Ovens then controlled the Timber midfield for the remaining minutes, shutting down the Turn-Key midfield.
Concept Physio/Peters Tirecraft, meanwhile, earned their first point of the season by rallying to draw 2-2 with Nation of Domination Eagle Homes Wednesday night at Marshall #1.
“That was a huge win for us,” said an elated Tirecraft veteran Brad Conlin. “I’m calling it a win. We fell behind 2-0 early and the guys fought back hard in the second half.”
Eagle Homes scored top corner from the 18 and shortly after, got another one by terrific Tirecraft keeper Riley Spraggs when the rain made the ball too slick to handle on a rocket shot and the NOD forward buried the rebound.
Spraggs registered some fantastic saves in the second half and Tirecraft responded when a crisp kick from Spraggs was knocked on by Matt Vanderhorst, sending Mohammed (Mo) Haliru though the middle of the defence. Haliru chipped one past the keeper with 20 minutes left.
Shane Whitley then sent a 33-yard corker around the Eagle Homes’ wall for the equalizer with 10 minutes remaining.
Conlin praised freshman centre defender Justin Mitchell for a phenomenal showing in anchoring the back four. Youngster Kyle Richardson also sparkled after switching to defence when Eagle Homes (3-1-1) went in front.
The Riot FC ran to a 6-1 rampage over the Salmon Arm Outlaws at Marshall #4.
Patrick Schindler scored four goals, while Nathan Gatenby and Dylan Towns added singles as the Riot went to 2-2-2. The Outlaws are 0-5.
Salmon Arm Courvas grounded Hi-Pro Sportswear Camels 4-2 in a first-place showdown at Marshall #4.
Mo Singogo scored the Humpbacks’ opening snipe against the run of play, turning a defender and putting it in the corner.
Fabrice N’Dri netted the second Camel goal off a scramble in the box from a corner. Field conditions prevented both teams from any sustained possession with puddles robbing players of the ball and causing miss-timed tackles.
The Camels (3-2-1) got standout performances from Nick Pantaleo, Nathan Whitling, Enzo Paal and keeper Bryn Knauf. Courvas went to 5-1.
In other Wednesday night play, the host Revelstoke Stallions shut down Monashee Surveying of Vernon 4-0.
Just five minutes in, Monashee (2-3-1) lost both their subs to injuries. The teams traded chances and tough challenges, going to the half scoreless.
Monashee pushed hard and won a few corners and long shots. Nick Croken put one off the bar from 40 yards.
Revelstoke opened the scoring on an amazing goal from the touch line that landed far top corner.Monashee then went down a man after a foul, the Surveyors claiming the referee failed to show their player his first yellow card.
Revelstoke converted on two free kicks to go up 3-0 before finishing on a penalty kick after a last-man back handball infraction.
The Red Robin Man of the Match for Monashee was Devon Marriott, who delivered some big plays in the middle.
