Deglan Double Downs Chilliwack......
Chilliwack made the long journey to Langley to renew friendships. Previous matches had been postponed due to the inclement weather and this was no different as it had previously been arranged to switch the game to Chilliwack if conditions at Noel Booth were unfavourable. However, the field was perfectly playable considering the deluge which had occurred in the days leading up to the match. Early play was contained in the Chilliwack half but two early chances for the home side came to nought. Jimmy Butler had the first worthwhile effort in the 6th. minute but his effort was sliced wide by a defender and went for a corner. Randy Hosler conceded a free kick just in the Classics half near the right touchline. The ball was pumped dangerously into the penalty box but Larry Thorlakson was on hand to make a decisive header to clear the danger. Two minutes late a great right wing run followed by a good effort from Butler was again sliced away for a corner. A long range effort from Gordie Macklin in the 12th. minute was well smothered by the visiting keeper.
A lovely weighed through ball from Danny Jensen in the 14th minute allowed Butler to head for goal. Butler took the ball to the dead ball line and with a shot-cum-centre the ball sped across the face of the goal about a foot out. Darryl Lawrie found himself with the ball at his feet but he somehow managed to screw the ball back across the face of the goalmouth when it looked easier to score - he took a bit of ribbing after the game for his effort. The visiting keeper presented Macklin with the ball after a bad dead ball kick. From all of 20 yards Macklin's shot was just wide of the far post, much to the relief of the embarrassed keeper. The opening goal came in the 18th. minute after some great interplay around the box. Macklin started the move with a through ball to Lawrie who finished the move in style by hammering the ball into the top right hand angle of the goal. A minute later it was Chilliwack on the offensive as they pumped a dangerous ball into the goalmouth but Alfie Deglan was on hand to intercept the ball and put it out for a corner. Lorenzo Arcari saw his great effort in the 25th. minute just miss the right hand upright. Willie Dixon laid on a pass for Deglan who scored with a cracking long range effort in the 35th. minute. It really was an amazing rocket which would have graced any league in the world. With two minutes of the half remaining Macklin sent over a beautiful centre to the back of the box where Deglan was ready to pick up the pieces and he nonchalantly headed the ball into the net to make it 3-0 - again it was a powerful header but it was lucky that the ball struck the flat part of his head and not one of the corners! The half-time discussion was hinged around Macklin's comments, rantings and ravings. If the official committee ever make talking an Olympic sport then Macklin would be a dead cert for the gold. He's going to make someone a wonderful wife one day!
Randy Hosler had played a magnificent first half with some piercing overlaps and several well placed corners and in the 55th. minute he even had a try on goal and was unlucky to watch his long range effort scrape the top of the crossbar. Disaster struck in 63rd. minute after Dean Herbert raced out of his goal to sweep the ball away from an escaped Chilliwack attacker. However, his legs seemed to crumble beneath him as he raced from the line and he ended up on the ground obviously in sever agony. The inital diagnosis was that his knee had become disjointed and 911 was immediately called. After several painstaking minutes Dean phoned his wife and they made the decision to cancel the approaching ambulance so that he could be treated over the border in the USA. The other story abounding was that Mary had heard Dean's screams and she had phoned him! The whole process was taking a long time as initially Dean could not be moved, so eventually Chilliwack graciously suggested that the game be abandoned, a decision that was agreed upon by the hosts as well as the referee. It was a sad end to an entertaining game. The later prognosis was that there was no bone damage but further tests were organised and the mournful news is that Dean will be out the game for the remainder of the season.
Final Score: Classics 3 Chilliwack 0 (3-0) [match abandoned]
Stats
MWG: D. Lawrie (his first match winner)
Crap Award: C. Arcari