Goal needed and provided......
The last time these two teams met, just before Christmas, the result was a 0-0 draw, an unusual result for the Classics. The previous time that the Classics were involved in a goalless draw was back in September 2006 when a trip to McMath Park ended in a tie with the Richmond United Olympics. The match result from that game makes interesting reading and can be found at this link. Randy Hosler caused a scare when he was unable to start the match after being injured in the pre-match warm up. The first real action was encountered in the 6th. minute when a free kick on the left was sent over by Gene Crowley but Alan Massender was only able to help the ball over the crossbar. In the 19th. minute a nice move was conducted down the right and when Pat Rohla centred the ball, Jimmy Butler made a diving header which was thwarted by a diving save from the home keeper who pushed the ball away for a corner. The short corner from Rohla was delivered to Daryl Lawrie who headed goalwards. A defender headed the ball back out but Massender was on hand to head the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net for the opening goal.

Massender was then sent to the sin bin for arguing with the, rather officious, referee who said that he had been accosted by the player. The man in the middle then warned all the players not to dispute any decisions or open their mouths under any circumstances otherwise they vould be tied up vith piano vire and shot! The score remained 1-0 at the half with Lawrie having an excepional half and doing his best to cover every blade of grass on the pitch with his running and intelligent play. Massender returned to the field at the start of the second half and made a good early left wing run but there was no-one in the penalty box to pick up his cross. A great 'through the eye of a needle' ball from Willie Dixon put Butler away in a chase for the ball but he just wasn't fast enough to catch the pace of the ball and it was cleared away after a tackle. In the 52nd. minute a right wing corner from Rohla was sent out to Sherman Foster who was situated 16 yards from the goal line. Picking his spot perfectly, Foster hammered a volley which sailed past the keeper and into the left hand side of the open net. It was a fine strike! Dixon later remarked that he had an assist with the goal and stated, "I said to Sherman 'you go for the ball and I'll stay out here and do nothing'!" The goal gave the visitors the cushion that they needed to press on and win the game. At 2-0 the next goal is always an important one.

Alfie Deglan was making his return from layoff and was his usual harrassing and flustering self with his long legs which somewhat resembled giraffe's necks. On the hour mark Rohla lost possession and the ball rolled to Foster who, wanting to emulate his hero, also stumbled and lost possession. A quick thinking attacker witnessed the double cock-up and picked up the ball and raced unchallenged into the box to finish smartly against Dean Herbert who had previously had a relatively easy time with just routine saves to make. However, no blame could be apportioned on the keeper for the loss of a shut out. After match accusations suggested that Foster had let the goal in on purpose just so that he could get the match winning goal but these accusations were never substantiated. Lorenzo Arcari was put through by Rohla in the 67th. minute but he fell as he was reaching the ball and the keeper just had to pick up the loose ball. A good long range effort from Hosler in the 72nd. minute was just off target.

An unjustified free kick was awarded to the hosts in the 75th. minute but it resulted in nothing. Another centre from Rohla minutes later almost brought another goal. Foster rose well to get a powerful header on target but his covering defender did a great job by jumping with him and deflecting the effort for another corner. Butler was the next with an effort when, ten minutes from time, he went one-on-one with the keeper. With all the players on the sideline betting their mortgages on a goal, the keeper made a fine diving save to thwart the unstoppable goal machine that Butler has evolved into.

"Rohla and C. Arcari had to leave the after game festivities to attend a gay pride weekend in Whistler where a bunch of guys were waiting in the hot tub with bay leaves." - A. Massender

Final Score: Tri City United 1 Classics 2 (0-1)

Stats
MWG: S. Foster
Sin Bin: A. Massender
Crap Award: C. Arcari