The Classics entertained Chilliwack on a very wet Cloverdale Athletic Park. Chilliwack were 'up for the game' as it was their first competitive match since October last year. Due to the weather and their geographical position they had been left kicking their heels instead of the opposition for the last few months. The game started with Chilliwack in command. They played the ball around well with some good close control, testing runs and fierce challenging. The midfield was obviously going to be a battle zone today.

Chilliwack made their early dominance pay in the eighth minute when they took the lead, albeit in bizarre circumstances. The Chilliwack right winger had made a telling run down the right wing and when he centred the ball Garry Hackel went to collect the powerful cross but only managed to push the ball outwards but towards the near post. The ball hit defender Larry Thorlakson and cannoned into the net to give the visitors the lead which they probably deserved at that stage of the game.

The match was still being controlled by the visitors with the Classics hardly getting a sniff of a shot in. Danny Jensen was again forced to retire injured from the game and Dave Moore slotted into the back line to accompany Ray Marrington. On the half hour mark Chilliwack increased the lead after their right winger had skinned Thorlakson once again to finish the move off in fine style giving Hackel no chance. The half ended 0-2 to Chilliwack.

The half time talk revealed that the Classics had been showing the visitors too much respect and they needed to step their game up another gear. The second half was a totally different proposition as the Classics took the game to Chilliwack and started to play the fluent football which they are so capable of. They started to attack and eventually began to show some style. Still though, the finishing lead much to be desired. Chances came and went for the forwards and midfielders with the occasional burst through from a defender but the killer punch was always missing. Chris Arcari shot over from a free kick on the edge of the penalty box, Kenny Johnson was unlucky on several occasions and Alfie Deglan was keeping his shots down but they were going wide.

It was ironic that the Classics goal eventually came through an own goal but it reduced the deficit to one and gave the Classics some hope of pulling back to at least get a draw out of the game. Bill McAuley almost got the equaliser with a tremendous shot ten minutes from the end which rattled the cross-bar and bounced over to safety. Chilliwack were content to try to soak up the pressure by this stage and in the end they must have felt happy to come away with the victory. On the balance of play, the Classics deserved a draw at least. But balance of play doesn't count when you add the scores up, and the home side slipped to their fourth defeat of the season. It is many years since they lost four matches in one season.

An anonymous e-mail was later received by the club that went like this:

"Dear Abby,
I have a friend who plays football and his wife was telling him that he should not go to a game today because he had a cold all week. But he went anyways. When he got home he told her that he got an own goal and let the other guy get away on the second goal. His wife concluded, "So if you had listened to me and not gone your team would have won the game."

Do I
a) Admit that she was right?
b) Apologise to the team for being so stupid and offer to buy them all beer next week?
c) Get a more understanding wife who doesn't know the game?

Please help me Abby as the stress is turning my hair grey and my daughters won't speak to me any more. They have lost respect for me as I have let them down."
Desperate, Surrey.

Final Score 1-2 (0-2)

Stats:
Own goal: L. Thorlakson
You were crap award: L. Thorlakson