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Annual Boxing Day classic soccer game honours Steele

Score not reflective of field play
Glen Gibbs

After five days of wretched weather, the rain held off and field conditions were excellent for the annual Steve Steele memorial soccer game on Boxing Day.

In fact the sun shone brightly in the second half of the game, which prompted Steele’s friend, Iain Livingstone, to say in the closing ceremonies, “God must be a soccer fan.”

That may or may not be but certainly the man,  cause and opportunity for friends to get together during the holiday also gave them a chance to pause for Steele and raise over $600 for  Canadian Cancer Society.

The traditional match featured Powell River Villa of Vancouver Island Soccer League and Senior Men’s League Selects with Villa coming out on top 4-0.

Selects got the first chance to score when Mike Hurren broke in alone but Villa keeper Douglas Rivera made a save from close range.

Play went down to the other end of the pitch where Jordan Peters made a couple of neat moves before passing to Reese Unger for Villa’s first goal at 22 minutes.

It was the first of three for the eventual most valuable player who was always in the right place at the right time.

His second goal at 29 minutes, a blast from 15 yards, was the result of a big rebound.

“A short cross came over and the rebound from Matt [Liknes], I believe, came out and I just hit it,” he recalled.

Villa took the 2-0 lead into the break and referee Val Greco had a chance to talk about his old friend Steele. “He did so much for soccer, refereeing, coaching, playing and he had a heart of gold.”

Steele was in the minds of many on Boxing Day. Livingstone remembered when they brought in the Clyde Valley Stompers in the 1980s for a benefit. Steele was in a panic because they hadn’t sold enough tickets to cover the cost.

“On the night of the actual concert about a half an hour before they came on stage,” he said, “Stevie was running up and down the complex trying to sell all the tickets. And he did end up selling them all.”

Meanwhile the Unger show continued in the second half as the young striker scored his third of the game at the 60-minute mark.

“Dylan [McLean] made a great flick on and I just happened to go on and volley it into the corner. They were all my wrong foot too,” he said of the natural hat trick.

There was some great play throughout the remainder of the match but all hopes for a comeback were dashed by Villa’s Conner Brady who banged in a hard shot from 25 yards to make the final 4-0 at 85 minutes.

Unger was extremely pleased with his team’s award for top player and he said with pride, “it’s great because it has so much significance. It’s good to represent the game and play well, especially in this game, because it’s definitely not just like a scrimmage. It’s a good game and everyone is high spirited.”

Picking up the MVP award for the Senior Men’s team was Daniel McMaster who appeared in his second consecutive Steele game. “I played hard today and gave it my best shot.”

Steve Steele would have been pleased.