After all the fields in Langley were closed because of snow, the game was switched to South Arm in Richmond, so once again the Pioneers got a game in when most teams didn't.

The much improved Langley Aces are no longer the whipping boys they used to be, and although generally outplayed by the Pioneers in this game, they resolutely hung on to earn themselves a 2-1 victory.

The small field meant neither team had time to settle on the ball, but Langley seemed to have the upper hand in the opening 10 minutes.

Langley were rewarded for their enterprise at the 25 minute mark, when a shot from the left wing was blocked at the near post by Pioneer keeper Gary Byrne. Unfortunately, the ball falling kindly for—of all people—ex-Surrey Classics Bruce Cook, who calmly tucked the ball into the far corner of the unguarded net.

At the other end, the Pioneers had a great chance to get on the scoreboard, but the Langley goalkeeper made a great double save, the second one right out of the how-did-he-do-that category, as Evgeni Kushnir looked certain to score before the keeper flung himself in front of the shot.

Down 1-0 at the interval after a disappointing first half, the Pioneers came out stronger and took the game to the visitors in the second half. The best chance to tie the game came when Danny Lazar headed a Graham Mason cross onto the post with the keeper well beaten. However, Lazar made amends minutes later when he nicely controlled a firmly struck cross from Jim Langlands, getting a shot in that was partially saved but fell into the path of Ken Johnston, who scored to tie the game 1-1.

It seemed the momentum was now firmly with the Pioneers. A fine cross from Ken Kan, again coming from the right wing, found Lazar in front of goal, his powerful header unfortunately going straight into the keeper's hands with the whole goal beckoning.

In a rare Langley attack, the referee ignored some vociferous appeals for offside as the ball was played out to the right wing. On the ensuing cross, goalkeeper Byrne failed to hang on to the ball and a Langley forward was there for an easy tap in to restore their lead against the run of play.

From that moment on, it was all Pioneers. Johnston went close when his redirection just missed the top corner, and Jim Langlands also had a good chance.

To add to the Pioneers frustration, referee Jimmy Summerville controversially called Evgeni Kushnir offside, after the Pioneer forward ran onto a headed flick-on by Ken Swanston.

The referee was the centre of attention again, when he blew the final whistle with over 10 minutes to go. Apparently it's not the first time he's tried that, and all credit to Langley, who—despite holding a slender lead—were the ones to call him on it.

The referee relented, and the last 10 minutes was a case of Langley hanging on as the Pioneers huffed and puffed, and they did a good job defensively to earn themselves their first ever victory over the Pioneers in winter league play.