Pioneers Stung by Late Comeback

Richmond Pioneers 2 Stingers 2

The Richmond Pioneers entertained Stingers at Honda Park, in a game that promised to provide the Pioneers with a sterner test, after scoring 14 goals in their first two lop-sided games.

Sure enough, Stingers were difficult opponents, and the Pioneers had to settle for a 2-2 draw, as the Stingers back came from being two goals down (deja vu all over again?) to snatch a late equalizer.

The game was evenly contested in the early going, and it was not until the 15th minute that the Pioneers had their first chance, when a Danny Lazar shot from a Ken Johnston cross was deflected for a corner kick. Four minutes later, this time with Ken Swanston supplying the cross, Lazar had a better chance, this time his shot whistled past the post.

The Stingers efforts were mainly restricted to long range shots that never really tested the Pioneer goal, but at the 30 minute mark the Stingers had a great chance when Pioneer keeper Gary Byrne got a hand to a deflected shot and, in the ensuing melee, Eric Stepura had to literally put his body on the line—the goal-line that is—to block a certain goal before Byrne recovered the ball.

37 minutes into the game, the Pioneers took the lead when a Dennis Luk pass found Danny Lazar, who made amends for his earlier misses by curling the ball just inside the near post. At the half, the game remained 1-0.

In the second half, the Stingers were moving the ball around nicely in midfield, but lacked any serious menace in the final third of the field.

As the game went on, the Pioneers started to create solid chances, and at the 58-minute mark John Tsang was clear through on goal, forcing the Stinger keeper to make an impressive save.

The Pioneers increased their lead at 60 minutes, when a Ken Johnston shot was misjudged by the Stinger keeper, the ball hitting his leg and deflecting into the goal. Johnston claimed the goal, despite differing opinion that an 'own goal' would have been a more appropriate ruling.

Five minutes later, the Stingers pulled one back. Pioneer keeper Dave Valitis failed to collect a harmless looking cross and the ball was knocked home at the far post at the second attempt.

The Pioneers were creating plenty of chances, notably when a cross from Jusuf Skrijelj found Danny Lazar, who saw his header cleared off the line. Another chance saw Johnston shoot wide.

Skrijelj was tormenting the Stinger defence, and he laid a chance on a plate for Ed Eviston, who took too long and the chance was gone.

MInutes later, Skrijelj again had the Stingers at sixes and sevens and should have taken a shot himself but elected to pass to Eviston again, who on this day—Eddie had bagged 5 goals in the first 2 games—had lost his goalscoring prowess.

Inevitably, after all those missed chances from the Pioneers, Stingers scored a late goal to tie the game up at 2-2. Both teams had late chances to grab a late winner before the whistle blew on an entertaining and hard fought game between these two perennial rivals.

Next week: No winter league game, as the Pioneers are off to Penticton.

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