Road trips are always tough and last weekend was a card-filled match that ended with Powell River Villa taking a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Sooke Loggers.
A healthy Villa team headed over to Vancouver Island looking forward to playing the Loggers who, like Villa, had just a single win so far this season.
The game started well for Villa when they were able to knock the ball around at will, but the Loggers took advantage of their first solid chance and scored on a header at 12 minutes.
After the goal there was a noticeable increase in the physicality of the game and tackles became more intense, resulting in a number of yellow cards being issued.
Some soccer was played between cards, however, and with seven minutes to go in the first half Villa’s Rick Rushton let a hard shot go from about 20 yards out, which was saved by the Loggers keeper, but he couldn’t corral the rebound.
Villa forward Brody Harry was perfectly positioned to get on the ball and he cleanly placed his shot beyond the reach of the keeper to tie the game 1-1.
Halftime did nothing to cool the tempers of players on either team and the second half was even more physical than the first.
Once again, the referee was obliged to issue cards to try to get things under control, but the battle up and down the pitch raged on for at least 30 long minutes.
The next break came for the Loggers when a shot went off a Sooke player during a scramble in the six-yard box and deflected by Villa keeper Matt Liknes.
Villa still had 15 minutes to even the score and they almost did when, with a push to net, they were awarded a penalty shot by the referee.
Harry stepped up to take the kick, but the keeper guessed right and dove to make the save that prevented Villa from tying the game.
After that, Villa had no choice but to bring everyone forward in an attempt to score, but the move backfired with five minutes to go when the Loggers broke in and scored their third goal to ice the game.
“It was really physical and we were unable to bury a few of our chances,” said coach Chris McDonough. “It was similar to our game against Lakehill a few weeks ago, where we just weren’t able to finish our chances, but they did on the few chances they got.”
Division two continues to have surprises with nine of the 10 teams recording a win so far and Cermaq City Wave FC2 of Campbell River at the top without a loss.
“You really don’t know what to expect, week in and week out,” said McDonough. “With these teams, some could be missing a few players one week and then have a real strong lineup the next week. It just shows that anything could happen, but it’s tough on the road because they all have better teams at home.”
It was prophetic of McDonough, as the outcome of this weekend’s scheduled game against Vancouver Island Soccer League’s Castaways FC2 has already been determined.
The team has advised Villa that it will pay the fine and forfeit three points instead of travelling to Powell River for its game at Timberlane Park on Sunday.
Villa’s next match will be away, against Prospect Lake Soccer Club Lakers Black2 at 7 pm on Saturday, October 17.
