Pioneers Stunned by Late Strike

Surrey Classics 2 Richmond Pioneers 1

The Winter season resumed on Sunday with a tasty opening fixture, as the schedule makers paired the Richmond Pioneers with archrivals Surrey Classics at Surrey's Newton Park. These teams battled to two draws last winter, and to add further spice to the rivalry, the Richmond P-I-O-N-E-E-R-S defeated the Classics 3-1 at the Vernon tournament back in May.

Surprisingly, the game was played on the artificial turf at Newton Park, despite the surrounding grass fields being in top shape. And to add to the disappointment, the late release of the schedule meant the referee assignments were in disarray, so the officiating had to be done by the Pioneers' Dave Valitis and, in the second half, Dave Moore of the Classics. Both guys did an admirable job in difficult circumstances.

After a somewhat lackadaisical opening, the first half settled into a typically feisty encounter with the Pioneers having the edge territorially. The Pioneers took the lead around the 20 minute mark with a Stan Bogdanovich shot from the edge of the area. Neither team had any other clear cut chances to speak of, and the Classics were restricted to long range shots that never troubled the Pioneer goal.

After the interval, the Classics had more urgency in their game, as they pushed for the equalizer. The tying goal came courtesy of some atrocious marking from a corner kick, when the Pioneers allowed the Classics' Chris Arcari to walk in totally unchallenged to meet the corner kick with a powerful header.

The game was now heating up as both teams battled for the winner. Although both teams had half chances, it was hard to recall the goalkeepers on either team having to make a meaningful save. And just as the game looked like it was heading to yet another stalemate, the Classics scored a shocking winner from the unlikeliest of sources.

With five minutes to go, following a couple of Pioneer mistakes, the ball fell to the Classics' Doug Smith 20 yards out. As the affable Aussie prepared to shoot, the smart betting was on which corner flag he was most likely to hit. Instead, he lofted an inch perfect lob that just floated in under the bar for the winning goal, as everyone just watched in disbelief (including, unfortunately, the Pioneer keeper!).

Although the Classics were there once more for the taking, the Pioneers let this one slip through their fingers. As one Classics player put it, they 'dodged a bullet'.

No doubt about it, the Surrey Classics are a resilient team and, when they get all their players back, will be a difficult team to stop.

Click here to read the Classics match report.

Next week, it's a home game versus Stingers, hopefully at McMath.

Pioneers Victorious in Victoria. On Labour Day long weekend, the Richmond Pioneers traveled to Vancouver Island to participate for the first time in the prestigious Juan de Fuca Invitational Masters Tournament near Victoria and—surprising maybe even themselves—came away victorious, winning a very competitive Over 48 Division. more

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