Pioneers and Classics deadlocked

Richmond Pioneers 0 Surrey Classics 0

The annual visit of Surrey Classics to 'Fort McMath' is always an eagerly awaited date on the local footballing calendar. Well, at least to the two combatants, that is. When a team riding a 60 game unbeaten streak travels to the home of the Richmond Pioneers, who have only lost once on home soil...er sorry, sand... in three years of Over 50 soccer, a tense, hard fought battle is bound to ensue. And, just like the last visit, the game ended in a stalemate with neither team able to score.

At game time, the teams faced a bracing cold wind, with snow starting to fall. Unlike the Manly Men of Surrey, an unusually large number of the Pioneers team chose to attire themselves in a combination of tights, toques, sweat pants, gloves....the only thing missing was matching handbags.

And for the first 10 minutes, the Pioneers played like they didn't want to perspire on their accoutrements, allowing Surrey to do most of the pressing. The Classics were unlucky not to open the scoring when Bill Ranger was through on goal with only keeper Gary Byrne to beat, but his shot cannoned off the post.

The close call seemed to wake up the Pioneers, who started to get more adventurous. Evgeni Kushnir had a couple of chances when he broke through the offside trap, but was unable get a convincing shot off. Pretending not to like each other, Kushnir and Surrey keeper Gary Hackel stopped play while they exchanged addresses, no doubt planning to send each other Christmas cards.

The first half ended abruptly when referee Mike 'Hollywood' Holden blew the whistle prematurely for reasons unknown. No doubt, the blowing cold air was playing havoc with his coif and he needed an extra squirt of hair spray.

The second half was, like the first half, keenly contested with a lot of tough tackling in the midfield, yet played in a great spirit, both teams clearly respecting each other.

The deplorable state of the field made it difficult for either team to string any passes together, yet both teams were pushing hard for the all important breakthrough.

Late in the game, a Surrey striker was through on goal with only Pioneer keeper Dave Valitis to beat. But luckily for the Pioneers, it was only Bruce Cook, and the loquacious big man blew his chance for glory in spectacular fashion, shooting wide with such venom that Valitas with his two bad knees was able to jog alongside the slowly rolling ball, escorting it to safety.

In the late stages of the game, it was the Pioneers who were doing most of the pressing, creating a series of half chances. But the best chance fell to Denis Harvington, who had a glorious opportunity to win in for the Pioneers, but he skewed his shot wide from close range in a crowded penalty area.

And when Hollywood blew the final whistle, the Pioneers were once again left to rue yet another missed opportunity. Deadlocked again,it was the first time either team had failed to score this season.

Next Sunday: Away to Stingers. Maybe.

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