Villa Soccer Club lost its first road game of the 2019/2020 season, falling 3-0 to Vic West FC in a match held Saturday, September 21, at Finlayson Turf in Victoria.
“We played a better game than the scoreboard might suggest,” said Villa coach Chris McDonough. “Our defence and centre midfield were on point, and at the half, there were still no goals on the board for either team. We lost our way a little in the second half, which is when Vic West scored their goals.”
The road game meant some changes to the roster for the team. “We had to change the lineup due to player availability,” said McDonough. “Five players who were on the field last weekend weren’t able to make this game, so there were some changes to our roster on the field. Most of our players are veterans at road games and the routine of travelling, though, and our game preparation is pretty dialed in, which accounts for how well we played overall.”
Villa had not played Vic West FC in recent history, as the Powell River team was promoted to Vancouver Island Soccer League’s Division 1 for this season.
“They are a good team with lots of experienced players, many of whom have played at higher levels, so we knew it would be a tough game,” said McDonough. “The fact that we had about an even number of scoring chances and great defence, especially through the first half, shows how much Villa has improved over the last few years.”
McDonough was also pleased with the team’s improvement over their game September 14, where they achieved a 1-1 tie against Juan de Fuca All Flows at Timberlane Park.
“Our defence and our positioning were good, and our organization on the field was better than last week,” said McDonough. “There were some noticeable improvements in how we played, so that’s a positive thing to take away from this game against a tough opponent.”
McDonough pointed to Dean Thorsell and Peter Kollar, who play defence, and Jake Kenmuir and Richard Murphy, who play centre midfield, as having performed particularly well on Saturday against Vic West. The team will build on these positive performances in preparation for this weekend’s game against Lakehill FC, he said.
“Lakehill FC is a big club in Victoria, and we know they will be a tough opponent as well,” added McDonough. “We’re hoping for a good crowd at the game on Saturday. They’ll be in for some really great soccer and it’s always nice to be cheered on at home.”
Villa plays Lakehill FC at 1:30 pm this Saturday, September 28, at Timberlane Park. Tickets are available at the gate.
Next weekend, the team is back on the road for an evening game in Victoria against Bays United on Saturday, October 5.
