Timberlane Park was in perfect shape for Powell River Villa soccer team’s return to action in Division 2 on Sunday, September 13.
The team had been training for about a month for this home opening game and it looked like a tough one against Cowichan FC 2 who brought 18 players over for the match.
The game started a little quicker for Cowichan than Powell River and in the first five minutes one of their early corner kicks turned into a dangerous chance.
The corner was headed toward the top of the net but Villa keeper Matt Liknes dove over to knock it away. Liknes had to make a couple of more saves before his team settled down and gradually took back some possession.
There weren’t a lot of quality scoring chances, but as the game wore on the physicality increased.
On one occasion near midfield a Cowichan player collided with Villa’s Jake Kenmuir, which drew a yellow card for the opposition and a caution to both sides.
About five minutes later, at 35 minutes, Kenmuir was again drilled, which could have been a red card, but another yellow was issued to a Cowichan player instead.
On the ensuing free kick, Kenmuir dropped the ball in to Rick Rushton who volleyed the ball just over the net.
Minutes after that Villa missed another glorious chance to take the lead when Brandon Knox had a lot of net, but his shot missed by a couple of feet.
“I thought we were a little unlucky not to get a goal or two,” said coach Chris McDonough of the first half. “Brandon had a good chance to knock one in there and same with Rick Rushton.”
McDonough’s message to the players during the break was to keep possession of the ball and not give it away cheaply, he said. “Make the easy pass and not try to do too much with the ball or hand it back to them.”
Unfortunately, Cowichan had a different message for Villa and pressed them for the first 15 minutes of the second half.
Cowichan opened the scoring when a striker got around the Villa defenders and slotted the ball in the top corner past Liknes.
Five minutes after that, Dylan Buckle retaliated on a hard tackle and received a red card for his actions, dropping Villa down a man.
From there, both teams had a couple more scoring chances, but the score remained 1-0 for Cowichan through regulation.
In injury time, Villa mounted a last-ditch effort to tie the game and received a couple of corner kicks for their efforts.
On both kicks lanky keeper Liknes came down the pitch to join his mates in front of the Cowichan goal and on the second kick Villa’s efforts were rewarded.
With virtually no time left the corner kick came into a mass of players and Dean Thorsell came crashing through to poke the loose ball into the corner.
A huge celebration erupted as Villa successfully overcame the red card and salvaged a point from their first game in the division.
“We got out of Dodge with a point, which is nice,” smiled McDonough, “but we created enough chances to win.”
McDonough acknowledged the play of Nelson Chingate, who started at right back, and Thorsell who was named Man of the Match.
“Dean played one of the better games I’ve seen him play today,” said McDonough, “and there were several good performances out there today.”
McDonough also mentioned new player Humberto Rosales, who very recently came to Powell River from Mexico. “He’s a quick player who was dangerous at times for us today.”
With a singer point in its Division 2 debut, Villa do it again on the road this weekend when they face Lakehill United 2 on Saturday, September 19 at 5 pm at Braefoot Park in Victoria.
