Division 6 Quarter Final
Southside 3 - 0 CSSC
Playoff time means two things for Manitoba amateur soccer. First, everyone is back from their summer holidays so the bench suddenly becomes full of bums itching to get on. Second, the weather turns rainy and cold, which is fine if you're pelting up and down the field but for CSSC's hardcore fans, toques a water proof outer layer were manditory clothing. CSSC had to do without its midfield linchpin Matt Loxley, who was off tossing the frizbee around out of town, and leading scorer Eli Robinson, who was in town but came down with an untimely Saturday morning illness, which was in no way suspicious.
CSSC started things off strongly. The midfield was putting together some tidy passing, working the ball up the field fairly regularly. Dylan Doerksen was looking especially strong, tearing through the Southside ranks with some impressive dribbling. However, despite a few long range pops on goal from Jude DB, I. Hudson and Dylan, the Soutside keeper was never seriously troubled. With about 15 minutes to go in the half, Southside started to exert itself. They've got some good team speed and were getting in behind the CSSC D, forcing Walden into two absolutely show stopping stops in the space of a couple of minutes, both of which saw him plunging high to get a strong hand to goal bound drives and divert them around the post. Tragically, Walden's heroics were not enough. With a couple minutes remaining in the half, Southside turned a CSSC punt upfield into a quick counter, and with two passes had it in the back of the CSSC net.
Most of the second half was uneventful at best. The commentators were desperately trying to come with with vaguely interesting anectodes while what action there was largely involved midfielders misplacing passes and kicking lumps out of each other. CSSC was not short on effort but with the exception of a couple of headers, there was little cause for the soaking wet fans to get excited. With little time remaining CSSC pushed more players upfield in an increasingly doomed effort to get the ball near the Southside net but that left large holes in the back. When center midfielder I. Hudson twice turned the ball over in what commentators describe as "dangerous areas" Soutside punished the mistakes with one well taken goal and one shot off the crossbar that the ref gave as a goal despite the VAR evidence showing that the ball failed to cross the line. The last contested goal and some unnecessary time wasting by Southside resulted in an increasingly fractious end to the game, with one Southside player huffing: "I'm not sure about this team we're playing. Half are bros but the other half are D bags." Does that mean half are good and half are bad? Or are we all bad, just in different ways? While CSSC pondered the amount and types of their badness, time ran out on the season.
Man of the Match: The two late goals put an undesirable appearance on an excellent defensive performance. Walden's saves were the game's only real highlights from a CSSC perspective. Mark Hudson's play at the back should be a lesson to the rest of the team in competitive spirit. But the CSSC standout was Van Penner, who shut down Southside's talented number 7 for pretty much the whole match. Van's day was epitomized when he went in for a 50/50 with a Southside striker, sent him spinning through the air with a crunching, technically perfect block tackle and then sent Devin racing down the wing with an inch perfect pass. The prize is a chothing item of Van's choice from any one of Winnipeg's finer thift shops.
Southside 3 - 0 CSSC
Playoff time means two things for Manitoba amateur soccer. First, everyone is back from their summer holidays so the bench suddenly becomes full of bums itching to get on. Second, the weather turns rainy and cold, which is fine if you're pelting up and down the field but for CSSC's hardcore fans, toques a water proof outer layer were manditory clothing. CSSC had to do without its midfield linchpin Matt Loxley, who was off tossing the frizbee around out of town, and leading scorer Eli Robinson, who was in town but came down with an untimely Saturday morning illness, which was in no way suspicious.
CSSC started things off strongly. The midfield was putting together some tidy passing, working the ball up the field fairly regularly. Dylan Doerksen was looking especially strong, tearing through the Southside ranks with some impressive dribbling. However, despite a few long range pops on goal from Jude DB, I. Hudson and Dylan, the Soutside keeper was never seriously troubled. With about 15 minutes to go in the half, Southside started to exert itself. They've got some good team speed and were getting in behind the CSSC D, forcing Walden into two absolutely show stopping stops in the space of a couple of minutes, both of which saw him plunging high to get a strong hand to goal bound drives and divert them around the post. Tragically, Walden's heroics were not enough. With a couple minutes remaining in the half, Southside turned a CSSC punt upfield into a quick counter, and with two passes had it in the back of the CSSC net.
Most of the second half was uneventful at best. The commentators were desperately trying to come with with vaguely interesting anectodes while what action there was largely involved midfielders misplacing passes and kicking lumps out of each other. CSSC was not short on effort but with the exception of a couple of headers, there was little cause for the soaking wet fans to get excited. With little time remaining CSSC pushed more players upfield in an increasingly doomed effort to get the ball near the Southside net but that left large holes in the back. When center midfielder I. Hudson twice turned the ball over in what commentators describe as "dangerous areas" Soutside punished the mistakes with one well taken goal and one shot off the crossbar that the ref gave as a goal despite the VAR evidence showing that the ball failed to cross the line. The last contested goal and some unnecessary time wasting by Southside resulted in an increasingly fractious end to the game, with one Southside player huffing: "I'm not sure about this team we're playing. Half are bros but the other half are D bags." Does that mean half are good and half are bad? Or are we all bad, just in different ways? While CSSC pondered the amount and types of their badness, time ran out on the season.
Man of the Match: The two late goals put an undesirable appearance on an excellent defensive performance. Walden's saves were the game's only real highlights from a CSSC perspective. Mark Hudson's play at the back should be a lesson to the rest of the team in competitive spirit. But the CSSC standout was Van Penner, who shut down Southside's talented number 7 for pretty much the whole match. Van's day was epitomized when he went in for a 50/50 with a Southside striker, sent him spinning through the air with a crunching, technically perfect block tackle and then sent Devin racing down the wing with an inch perfect pass. The prize is a chothing item of Van's choice from any one of Winnipeg's finer thift shops.
Portage 0 - 8 CSSC
CSSC finished ts tour of southern Manitoba with a trip out to Portage and the most beautiful rectangle of green in the Manitoba soccer loop. Who knows what they do differently in Portage, but while the rest of the province moves to the plastic horror show that is turf or slogs through grass of varied patchiness, The Republic of Manitobah Park looks like the hallowed turf of Fratton Park, only with slightly more modern stands. Despite the lengthy drive and early game, CSSC showed up in good numbers. Even its support staff, in the form of ace time keeper, team psychologist and tactics expert all rolled into John Loxley, made the trip.
While CSSC showed up en masse, the Portage coaches were looking longingly in the direction of the parking lot, a sure sign that they were hoping for more than the nine players limbering up on the pristine field. Unfortunately, for the massed spectators, no calvary rolled over the berm surrounding the field, resulting in a decidedly one sided contest. CSSC scored early and often. The first half ended with Jude DB, Kamal, I. Hudson (twice) and Kinsella finding the back of the net in a variety of ways. Misses were too many to recount.
CSSC's offer to lend Portage some players for a second half friendly was courageously rejected and as a result the rest of the contest was just like the first half. Woolford, and two for Jude DB (for the triple) rounded out the scoring. Portage soldiered away against insurmountable odds and managed two excellent chances near the end of the game that were foiled by M. Hudson, deputizing in the CSSC net. Despite the lack of meaningful competition, entertainment was still had just watching the ball roll properly across the billiard like surface. The game was played in good spirits despite the lopsided score, nicely illustrated by a second half moment. Van Penner offered up a particularly noodle armed throw in that had the Portage team calling for a foul throw. "Ugly but legal" ruled the ref." "That's my Tinder profile" responded Van. Witty banter, your name is CSSC.
Man of the Match: John Loxley's calming presence on the CSSC bench kept the many substitutions well organized. Jude DB blasted in three and got the highlight of the night by sprinting across the field, sliding to keep the ball in on the left touchline, springing to his feet and racing down the field to tee up Bob Walden on the penalty spot with an inch perfect pass (what happened after that will go unmentioned). However, as Jude himself pointed out, the man of the match has to be the groundskeeper at Portage. Thank you sir.
CSSC finished ts tour of southern Manitoba with a trip out to Portage and the most beautiful rectangle of green in the Manitoba soccer loop. Who knows what they do differently in Portage, but while the rest of the province moves to the plastic horror show that is turf or slogs through grass of varied patchiness, The Republic of Manitobah Park looks like the hallowed turf of Fratton Park, only with slightly more modern stands. Despite the lengthy drive and early game, CSSC showed up in good numbers. Even its support staff, in the form of ace time keeper, team psychologist and tactics expert all rolled into John Loxley, made the trip.
While CSSC showed up en masse, the Portage coaches were looking longingly in the direction of the parking lot, a sure sign that they were hoping for more than the nine players limbering up on the pristine field. Unfortunately, for the massed spectators, no calvary rolled over the berm surrounding the field, resulting in a decidedly one sided contest. CSSC scored early and often. The first half ended with Jude DB, Kamal, I. Hudson (twice) and Kinsella finding the back of the net in a variety of ways. Misses were too many to recount.
CSSC's offer to lend Portage some players for a second half friendly was courageously rejected and as a result the rest of the contest was just like the first half. Woolford, and two for Jude DB (for the triple) rounded out the scoring. Portage soldiered away against insurmountable odds and managed two excellent chances near the end of the game that were foiled by M. Hudson, deputizing in the CSSC net. Despite the lack of meaningful competition, entertainment was still had just watching the ball roll properly across the billiard like surface. The game was played in good spirits despite the lopsided score, nicely illustrated by a second half moment. Van Penner offered up a particularly noodle armed throw in that had the Portage team calling for a foul throw. "Ugly but legal" ruled the ref." "That's my Tinder profile" responded Van. Witty banter, your name is CSSC.
Man of the Match: John Loxley's calming presence on the CSSC bench kept the many substitutions well organized. Jude DB blasted in three and got the highlight of the night by sprinting across the field, sliding to keep the ball in on the left touchline, springing to his feet and racing down the field to tee up Bob Walden on the penalty spot with an inch perfect pass (what happened after that will go unmentioned). However, as Jude himself pointed out, the man of the match has to be the groundskeeper at Portage. Thank you sir.
Superbia 2 - 1 CSSC
It must be fall. An outrageously early noon kickoff in September was accompanied by gale force winds and a steady drizzle. The good news was that CSSC's line up was bolstered by the return of twin Moroccan strong men Charaf Charaoui and Ali Chioua from their month long conditioning stints. The bad news was that erratic attender Devin Dorbolo couldn't pull himself out from under his warm covers to make the contest.
Superbia is fighting for top of the table honours and they have speed at all positions. Early in the game they were the badly behaved school yard bully and wouldn't share their ball with CSSC, but against the run of play the first good chance saw Kamal Chioua latch on to nice ball over the top of the Superbia back line and round the keeper only to just fail to slide the ball into the empty net from a very tight angle. Then CSSC went in front when Sean Brown swung in a dangerous free kick that was shinned into his own net by an under pressure and unfortunate Superbia defender (although he was wearing a toque well before the season required it). Later in the half Superbia started to create chances despite the tenacious defensive work of the CSSC back line. First, Superbia worked a nice short corner give and go along the end line. The resulting low driven cross was met by an unstoppable close range header. Then dangerous number 9 broke lose all alone on goal, but his far post curler bounced off the post to safety. It looked like CSSC would head in for half time tea and cigarettes all square, but when a long range drive bounced off the bar, the rebound was slammed back towards goal by a Superbia forward only for Walden to sprawl down low and make a big save. Unfortunately, the ball remained right on the goal line and while the CSSC defenders collectively hoped that the ball would be cleared, but took no action to to make that wish a reality, Superbia wandered over and poked the ball home.
Against the wind in the second half, CSSC were even more pinned back than in the first. However, the CSSC defense made like the the 1970s Steel Curtain and refused to give the Superbia offense many scoring chances. Although CSSC only rarely managed to venture out of its own end, the best chance of the half fell to Kamal who sprinted clear when a Superbia defender misplayed a through ball, only for his attempt to pick out the top corner with a curler flew just over the angle of post and bar. Fantastic defense but not quite enough going forward.
Man of the Match: The whole defense could share in the award, including famed virtual reality afficianado Andrew Woolford. However, CSSC is not so egalitarian that it goes for that "everybody wins" nonsense, so the real standouts were Mark Hudson and Sean Brown. From center back they combined to make saving tackle after saving tackle against the speedy and tricky Superbia attack. It was like watching Sol Cambell and Sylvain Distin in the Pompey heyday.
It must be fall. An outrageously early noon kickoff in September was accompanied by gale force winds and a steady drizzle. The good news was that CSSC's line up was bolstered by the return of twin Moroccan strong men Charaf Charaoui and Ali Chioua from their month long conditioning stints. The bad news was that erratic attender Devin Dorbolo couldn't pull himself out from under his warm covers to make the contest.
Superbia is fighting for top of the table honours and they have speed at all positions. Early in the game they were the badly behaved school yard bully and wouldn't share their ball with CSSC, but against the run of play the first good chance saw Kamal Chioua latch on to nice ball over the top of the Superbia back line and round the keeper only to just fail to slide the ball into the empty net from a very tight angle. Then CSSC went in front when Sean Brown swung in a dangerous free kick that was shinned into his own net by an under pressure and unfortunate Superbia defender (although he was wearing a toque well before the season required it). Later in the half Superbia started to create chances despite the tenacious defensive work of the CSSC back line. First, Superbia worked a nice short corner give and go along the end line. The resulting low driven cross was met by an unstoppable close range header. Then dangerous number 9 broke lose all alone on goal, but his far post curler bounced off the post to safety. It looked like CSSC would head in for half time tea and cigarettes all square, but when a long range drive bounced off the bar, the rebound was slammed back towards goal by a Superbia forward only for Walden to sprawl down low and make a big save. Unfortunately, the ball remained right on the goal line and while the CSSC defenders collectively hoped that the ball would be cleared, but took no action to to make that wish a reality, Superbia wandered over and poked the ball home.
Against the wind in the second half, CSSC were even more pinned back than in the first. However, the CSSC defense made like the the 1970s Steel Curtain and refused to give the Superbia offense many scoring chances. Although CSSC only rarely managed to venture out of its own end, the best chance of the half fell to Kamal who sprinted clear when a Superbia defender misplayed a through ball, only for his attempt to pick out the top corner with a curler flew just over the angle of post and bar. Fantastic defense but not quite enough going forward.
Man of the Match: The whole defense could share in the award, including famed virtual reality afficianado Andrew Woolford. However, CSSC is not so egalitarian that it goes for that "everybody wins" nonsense, so the real standouts were Mark Hudson and Sean Brown. From center back they combined to make saving tackle after saving tackle against the speedy and tricky Superbia attack. It was like watching Sol Cambell and Sylvain Distin in the Pompey heyday.
Tri S 0 - 1 CSSC
CSSC's 2nd out of town adventure in a row took it to the well groomed pitch of the Selkirk rec center. Despite the early weekday kickoff and lengthy highway drive CSSC had a solid four subs on the bench to take on a full strength Selkirk squad, who only needed 10 men to beat CSSC in their first clash of the year. The only slight panic was caused by CSSC's favorite game, "what should be, but isn't, in Kamal's bag"? Past winners have been his fashionable Oakley hat and his home jersey, but today's unfortunate missing item was his boots, resulting him squeezing into a borrowed pair two sizes too small. Being a good trooper he soldiered through the entire match with only the occasional complaint.
The rhythm of the game established itself early on. Selkirk plays a "charge of the light brigade" style, where their super fast forwards and midfield pile forward for every attack but seem a bit less keen to defend. As a result CSSC had plenty of possession and were taking full advantage of the space afforded them with some lovely passing football. One typically flowing move resulted in a corner, swung over by Mark Hudson. An unfortunate Selkirk forward, back defending the corner, sliced his clearance right to I. Hudson, who could not and did not miss from a couple of yards out. The fact that the remaining 80 minutes of the game remained scoreless was not so much down to stifling defense as it was great keeping and wayward finishing. Selkirk only had a few chances but when their lightening forwards did counter, it was very dangerous. They managed to roll two clear breakaways just wide and Bob Walden in the CSSC net made no less than 3 close range, show stopping reflex saves the best of which featured a lightening quick dive down low to his right to push a point blank rocket destined for the bottom corner around the post.
If the Selkirk attacks were few but dangerous, the CSSC attacks were more or less continuous. M. Hudson had a near post pile driver tipped just over the angle of post and bar. I. Hudson drove a goal mouth scramble straight at the keeper's head and had a curling free kick plucked out of the far corner by the Selkirk goalie. Devin Doerksen had several chances out wide, the best of which saw him latch on to a Harney cutback but his close range side footer was smothered by the man between the posts. The closest CSSC came the rest of the way was when Wazoo, who had already engineered two breakaways through the Selkirk middle, cracked an 18 yarder off the bar and down onto the goal line so hard that the keeper had time to pick himself up from his first dive and beat Kamal to the rebound before the ball came back down. There were a few tense moments at the death, but CSSC managed to hold on for a crucial three away points to celebrate Harney's last game in a CSSC jersey before his big money transfer to Montreal's Solidarite FC.
Man of the Match: Except for the finishing it was a great all around performance. Sean Brown marshaled the back four like an old timey sheriff, leading the line to a shut out performance. Wazoo would have won if his excellent movement and hold up play were rewarded with a bar and in instead of a bar and out. Matt Loxley played out of his skin. CSSC's four person mid more than coped with Selkirk's five largely on the strength of Loxley's incredible ball winning tenacity. But the award goes to Walden's heroics. He wasn't called on often, but three fantastic saves in a one goal win mean he was the margin of victory.
CSSC's 2nd out of town adventure in a row took it to the well groomed pitch of the Selkirk rec center. Despite the early weekday kickoff and lengthy highway drive CSSC had a solid four subs on the bench to take on a full strength Selkirk squad, who only needed 10 men to beat CSSC in their first clash of the year. The only slight panic was caused by CSSC's favorite game, "what should be, but isn't, in Kamal's bag"? Past winners have been his fashionable Oakley hat and his home jersey, but today's unfortunate missing item was his boots, resulting him squeezing into a borrowed pair two sizes too small. Being a good trooper he soldiered through the entire match with only the occasional complaint.
The rhythm of the game established itself early on. Selkirk plays a "charge of the light brigade" style, where their super fast forwards and midfield pile forward for every attack but seem a bit less keen to defend. As a result CSSC had plenty of possession and were taking full advantage of the space afforded them with some lovely passing football. One typically flowing move resulted in a corner, swung over by Mark Hudson. An unfortunate Selkirk forward, back defending the corner, sliced his clearance right to I. Hudson, who could not and did not miss from a couple of yards out. The fact that the remaining 80 minutes of the game remained scoreless was not so much down to stifling defense as it was great keeping and wayward finishing. Selkirk only had a few chances but when their lightening forwards did counter, it was very dangerous. They managed to roll two clear breakaways just wide and Bob Walden in the CSSC net made no less than 3 close range, show stopping reflex saves the best of which featured a lightening quick dive down low to his right to push a point blank rocket destined for the bottom corner around the post.
If the Selkirk attacks were few but dangerous, the CSSC attacks were more or less continuous. M. Hudson had a near post pile driver tipped just over the angle of post and bar. I. Hudson drove a goal mouth scramble straight at the keeper's head and had a curling free kick plucked out of the far corner by the Selkirk goalie. Devin Doerksen had several chances out wide, the best of which saw him latch on to a Harney cutback but his close range side footer was smothered by the man between the posts. The closest CSSC came the rest of the way was when Wazoo, who had already engineered two breakaways through the Selkirk middle, cracked an 18 yarder off the bar and down onto the goal line so hard that the keeper had time to pick himself up from his first dive and beat Kamal to the rebound before the ball came back down. There were a few tense moments at the death, but CSSC managed to hold on for a crucial three away points to celebrate Harney's last game in a CSSC jersey before his big money transfer to Montreal's Solidarite FC.
Man of the Match: Except for the finishing it was a great all around performance. Sean Brown marshaled the back four like an old timey sheriff, leading the line to a shut out performance. Wazoo would have won if his excellent movement and hold up play were rewarded with a bar and in instead of a bar and out. Matt Loxley played out of his skin. CSSC's four person mid more than coped with Selkirk's five largely on the strength of Loxley's incredible ball winning tenacity. But the award goes to Walden's heroics. He wasn't called on often, but three fantastic saves in a one goal win mean he was the margin of victory.
Grunthal 0 - 4 CSSC
It was off to SE Manitoba for a clutch away tie against Grunthal. Little did we know that it was the weekend of the Hannover Ag Fair, featuring a parade, rodeo, crash up derby and, once we got off the soccer field after the game, a helicopter ride. Grunthal FC missed a bit of an opportunity because, despite being right beside the rodeo grandstand, they failed to get this big Div 6 MMSL tilt on the festival program. Even with the lack of advertising a healthy crowd brought their own lawn chairs to line what is optimistically billed as where “the best come to play.” This was especially true since the field has gone from being a pretty credible bit of turf last year, to being a triple threat of hard packed dirt, rock hard clumps of hardy grass and a very thick ankle breaking weed whose (LotR nerd alert) “roots go deep.” One CSSC player attempted to pull one up and it’s pretty likely that there were giant yams attached.
The field was so bumpy that what passes for cultured footie in Div 6, like passing and dribbling, were completely impossible. CSSC was getting the better of the early ball scrapping and won a corner, which Devin Doerksen swung in to be bravely finished off by Matt Loxley. Despite the impossibility of controlling the ball, CSSC midfielder I. Hudson managed to feed speedy K. Chioua two breakaway passes behind the high Grunthal back line but, worried about his ability to dribble the ball at pace, Chioua opted for long range shots, one of which banged off the post and the other skewed wide. Grunthal failed to figure out that Chioua was the danger man and left him all alone for Loxley to pick out with a clever pass, and with Grunthal appealing for offside, Chioua bent the ball into the bottom corner from the top of the box. That was pretty much it for first half incidents. Walden in the CSSC nets had plenty of time to watch the horses limber up for the rodeo behind the goal.
The second half started out with far more Grunthal pressure. In the first 15 minutes they banged a long range effort off the post, forced a lightening quick reflex leg save by Walden and had a goal bound header from a corner cleared off the CSSC line by crafty veteran Bruce Sewart. But then the game turned on a moment of madness. A Grunthal defender, already on a yellow from a scything tackle on Loxley in the first half, decided that he didn’t like it when Jude DB left him a little something on a header and he took late, violent retaliatory action for which the ref had no choice but to wave the yellow card around for the second time, which all lovers of soccer math know is the same as a red. That was pretty much it for the Grunthal resistance. Van Penner decided to make like Gareth Bale and smash a rocket right through the keeper’s hands for the third. In fairness, the ball was moving around in the air, as they do. The fourth arrived when a defender, who had clearly failed to read the advanced scouting report indicating that I. Hudson wasn’t much of a threat to score, got in a bit of panic and cut Hudson down for a penalty. Wanting to give Chioua every chance at his promised helicopter ride for scoring a hat trick, Hudson allowed the in form striker to take the kick and Chioua made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way. There was still time for Loxley to send both Jude DB and Chioua clear yet again but the former placed a slow roller off the post and the latter slashed a bit wildly wide. No helicopter.
Man of the Match: John Loxley and Rick Penner made the long journey out to comprise the whole of CSSC’s traveling support, so that’s well worth a mention. So too was a tremendous performance by the defense and keeper in managing a clean sheet under trying ground conditions, with a special shout out to Sewart’s goal saving heroics. Yet in a game that amounted to a constant battle for a bouncing ball, Matt Loxley was an absolute (in the hated words of professional sycophant Pierre McGuire) monster, winning every challenge and attempting to use it creatively. And he scored a goal.
It was off to SE Manitoba for a clutch away tie against Grunthal. Little did we know that it was the weekend of the Hannover Ag Fair, featuring a parade, rodeo, crash up derby and, once we got off the soccer field after the game, a helicopter ride. Grunthal FC missed a bit of an opportunity because, despite being right beside the rodeo grandstand, they failed to get this big Div 6 MMSL tilt on the festival program. Even with the lack of advertising a healthy crowd brought their own lawn chairs to line what is optimistically billed as where “the best come to play.” This was especially true since the field has gone from being a pretty credible bit of turf last year, to being a triple threat of hard packed dirt, rock hard clumps of hardy grass and a very thick ankle breaking weed whose (LotR nerd alert) “roots go deep.” One CSSC player attempted to pull one up and it’s pretty likely that there were giant yams attached.
The field was so bumpy that what passes for cultured footie in Div 6, like passing and dribbling, were completely impossible. CSSC was getting the better of the early ball scrapping and won a corner, which Devin Doerksen swung in to be bravely finished off by Matt Loxley. Despite the impossibility of controlling the ball, CSSC midfielder I. Hudson managed to feed speedy K. Chioua two breakaway passes behind the high Grunthal back line but, worried about his ability to dribble the ball at pace, Chioua opted for long range shots, one of which banged off the post and the other skewed wide. Grunthal failed to figure out that Chioua was the danger man and left him all alone for Loxley to pick out with a clever pass, and with Grunthal appealing for offside, Chioua bent the ball into the bottom corner from the top of the box. That was pretty much it for first half incidents. Walden in the CSSC nets had plenty of time to watch the horses limber up for the rodeo behind the goal.
The second half started out with far more Grunthal pressure. In the first 15 minutes they banged a long range effort off the post, forced a lightening quick reflex leg save by Walden and had a goal bound header from a corner cleared off the CSSC line by crafty veteran Bruce Sewart. But then the game turned on a moment of madness. A Grunthal defender, already on a yellow from a scything tackle on Loxley in the first half, decided that he didn’t like it when Jude DB left him a little something on a header and he took late, violent retaliatory action for which the ref had no choice but to wave the yellow card around for the second time, which all lovers of soccer math know is the same as a red. That was pretty much it for the Grunthal resistance. Van Penner decided to make like Gareth Bale and smash a rocket right through the keeper’s hands for the third. In fairness, the ball was moving around in the air, as they do. The fourth arrived when a defender, who had clearly failed to read the advanced scouting report indicating that I. Hudson wasn’t much of a threat to score, got in a bit of panic and cut Hudson down for a penalty. Wanting to give Chioua every chance at his promised helicopter ride for scoring a hat trick, Hudson allowed the in form striker to take the kick and Chioua made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way. There was still time for Loxley to send both Jude DB and Chioua clear yet again but the former placed a slow roller off the post and the latter slashed a bit wildly wide. No helicopter.
Man of the Match: John Loxley and Rick Penner made the long journey out to comprise the whole of CSSC’s traveling support, so that’s well worth a mention. So too was a tremendous performance by the defense and keeper in managing a clean sheet under trying ground conditions, with a special shout out to Sewart’s goal saving heroics. Yet in a game that amounted to a constant battle for a bouncing ball, Matt Loxley was an absolute (in the hated words of professional sycophant Pierre McGuire) monster, winning every challenge and attempting to use it creatively. And he scored a goal.
CSSC 2 – 3 Les Bleus
Bruce Sewart has played at least a billion games in his CSSC career. In not a single one of them has he shown up more than five minutes before kick-off. Of all Bruce’s highly excellent characteristics, it was his problematic lack of punctuality that the youth of CSSC chose to emulate. At kick-off six players had yet to show, forcing team management into a cobbled together starting 11 that was much more “who was here” than “who should start.” To add to the first half issues, team captain Chioua lost the coin toss, forcing CSSC into the teeth of the sort of wind that only Buhler can produce.
The result was some pretty one way traffic. While CSSC failed to even roll the ball in the direction of the opposition net, the CSSC goal was barraged with shots. Despite management’s instructions to CSSC defenders to “stay close to that number 17” identified by the crack CSSC scouting team as Les Bleus chief danger man, that very player managed to wiggle free on the top left of the CSSC box, shift the ball onto his left foot and bend an unstoppable curler into the top corner. It looked like CSSC was just about going to survive the first half when a viciously whipped number 17 free kick was brilliantly swatted away from the top corner by ace keeper Walden. However, as the half neared an end, disaster struck. First, a dangerous cross was diverted past Walden courtesy of an unfortunate deflection off the knee of covering defender Sean Brown. Then, only minutes later, yet another dangerously placed free kick was hammered around the wall and into the top corner by that number 17. It was a long way to comeback.
However, inspired by a rousing half time bollocking by orange jacketed Pete Hudson, CSSC came out firing in the second half. Jude DB, moved from the wing to striker for the second half, sent I. Hudson jogging down the left wing. He may have been crossing, he may have been shooting, but whatever it was, it looped over the keeper and looked to be dropping in before glancing off the crossbar and clear of the goal. A few minutes later Jude was again the provider when his pinpoint cross found winger Wazoo lurking at the far post and he nodded home from close range. CSSC was really starting to apply some serious pressure and the comeback looked even more likely when Les Bleus’ aggressive chirping at the ref was finally acknowledged with a red card. It could have gone to any one of several chatty fellows, overly keen to express their opinion to the ref, but number 17 was the one to get on the ref’s last nerve. Soon after the card a CSSC corner resulted in a massive scramble in Les Bleus box and the ball was turned in by an unorthodox side swipe of Van Penner’s heel. Tragically, the moment that should have resulted in a massive all-out assault on the opposition goal, instead seemed to signal the end of the fight back. More of the rest of the game was spent on the varied and creative time wasting tactics of Les Bleus than actual game play and CSSC failed to muster another serious attempt on goal.
Man of the Match: Not too many players on CSSC looked fantastic. Matt Loxley and Van Penner played great games, but they were part of the tardy crew that was caught in the parking lot when the ref started the game three minutes early, so no award for them. Instead the prize goes to the more punctual Jude DB who provided a creative outlet all night after returning to the line up after celebrating his sainted grandma’s 75th birthday with a tubing party at Falcon Lake, as is the tradition here in Manitoba.
Bruce Sewart has played at least a billion games in his CSSC career. In not a single one of them has he shown up more than five minutes before kick-off. Of all Bruce’s highly excellent characteristics, it was his problematic lack of punctuality that the youth of CSSC chose to emulate. At kick-off six players had yet to show, forcing team management into a cobbled together starting 11 that was much more “who was here” than “who should start.” To add to the first half issues, team captain Chioua lost the coin toss, forcing CSSC into the teeth of the sort of wind that only Buhler can produce.
The result was some pretty one way traffic. While CSSC failed to even roll the ball in the direction of the opposition net, the CSSC goal was barraged with shots. Despite management’s instructions to CSSC defenders to “stay close to that number 17” identified by the crack CSSC scouting team as Les Bleus chief danger man, that very player managed to wiggle free on the top left of the CSSC box, shift the ball onto his left foot and bend an unstoppable curler into the top corner. It looked like CSSC was just about going to survive the first half when a viciously whipped number 17 free kick was brilliantly swatted away from the top corner by ace keeper Walden. However, as the half neared an end, disaster struck. First, a dangerous cross was diverted past Walden courtesy of an unfortunate deflection off the knee of covering defender Sean Brown. Then, only minutes later, yet another dangerously placed free kick was hammered around the wall and into the top corner by that number 17. It was a long way to comeback.
However, inspired by a rousing half time bollocking by orange jacketed Pete Hudson, CSSC came out firing in the second half. Jude DB, moved from the wing to striker for the second half, sent I. Hudson jogging down the left wing. He may have been crossing, he may have been shooting, but whatever it was, it looped over the keeper and looked to be dropping in before glancing off the crossbar and clear of the goal. A few minutes later Jude was again the provider when his pinpoint cross found winger Wazoo lurking at the far post and he nodded home from close range. CSSC was really starting to apply some serious pressure and the comeback looked even more likely when Les Bleus’ aggressive chirping at the ref was finally acknowledged with a red card. It could have gone to any one of several chatty fellows, overly keen to express their opinion to the ref, but number 17 was the one to get on the ref’s last nerve. Soon after the card a CSSC corner resulted in a massive scramble in Les Bleus box and the ball was turned in by an unorthodox side swipe of Van Penner’s heel. Tragically, the moment that should have resulted in a massive all-out assault on the opposition goal, instead seemed to signal the end of the fight back. More of the rest of the game was spent on the varied and creative time wasting tactics of Les Bleus than actual game play and CSSC failed to muster another serious attempt on goal.
Man of the Match: Not too many players on CSSC looked fantastic. Matt Loxley and Van Penner played great games, but they were part of the tardy crew that was caught in the parking lot when the ref started the game three minutes early, so no award for them. Instead the prize goes to the more punctual Jude DB who provided a creative outlet all night after returning to the line up after celebrating his sainted grandma’s 75th birthday with a tubing party at Falcon Lake, as is the tradition here in Manitoba.
St James 1 - 3 CSSC
It was a half empty - half full kind of start to the game. Despite having a sizeable squad of 17 expected, as the ball kicked off, a much reduced squad of 13 was looking anxiously to the parking lot for any late arrivals. On the up side, St James could only martial one lone sub. As the Doerkens and Dorbolo rolled up in varying degrees of lateness, the numbers game looked increasingly in CSSC's favour.
The first half started out very even. St. James edged the early exchanges without carving out any real chances thank mostly to CSSC's solid back line, marshaled by the sunscreen slathered center back duo of Andrew Woolford and Greg Hodges. As the half wore on CSSC started to get in behind the St. James back line and went one up when Kamal pounced on a sluggish back pass and was brought down rounding the keeper. He dusted himself off, put the ball on the spot, and calmly slotted home from 12 yards. He could have had a second after being sent clean through by a raking Matt Loxley pass, but he couldn't quite lift the ball over the onrushing keeper.
Avid readers of this season's match reports will recall that the previous game against St. James also saw CSSC take a one goal lead in to the half only to end up on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline. History may well have repeated itself if it wasn't for Bob Walden's heroics in the CSSC net. St James tied it up fairly early on, after a bit of a defensive hari kari let a forward clean in on goal and he gently rolled the ball past Walden into the far corner. Only minutes later a looped St James cross from the byline found St James number 30 all alone six yards out, with a free header at a wide open net, only for Walden to launch himself back across goal and claw the ball out from under his cross bar. And he leapt up to snatch up the rebound as well. One of the best double saves ever. This is exactly what it looked like, except Walden (and pretty much everyone ever) has better hair. And Walden wasn't finished. Speedy number 14 raced through the CSSC back line in so much space he thought he was Sandra Bullock in Gravity only to have Walden slice away his low drive. Apparently CSSC only need three miracle saves to get back in the game. Manager John Loxley had seen enough and threw on Ian Hudson, Van Penner and Matt Loxley in an effort to turn the tide. And it worked. Devin Dorbolo chucked a long throw into the box, which Kamal cleverly dummied and Ian Hudson managed a side of the boot, one time flick right into Dylan Doerksen's path, who smashed it low into the net from close range. If CSSC had a training ground, this would have been off it. As St James began to tire CSSC looked the more likely winners and the game was made safe when CSSC used three passes to go coast to coast, the last of which was Ian Hudson sliding the ball through to the tireless Matt Loxley behind the St James back line and he blasted it through the keeper. CSSC could have had more. Mark Hudson rose like a slightly taller Muggsy Bogues only to drive a header just over the bar. The keeper also made two quality saves to deny I. Hudson and Kamal late in the game.
Man of the Match: Kamal played a good game on the field and talks a good game off it lobbying for the MotM award. Mark Meuwese had a strong game out wide and spent some of his CSSC World Cup Pool winnings on a delicious and much appreciated Summer Mingler (pictured below). Really, the whole team looked fairly solid front to back but the award has to go to Walden's show stopping saves early in the second half that kept CSSC in the contest.
It was a half empty - half full kind of start to the game. Despite having a sizeable squad of 17 expected, as the ball kicked off, a much reduced squad of 13 was looking anxiously to the parking lot for any late arrivals. On the up side, St James could only martial one lone sub. As the Doerkens and Dorbolo rolled up in varying degrees of lateness, the numbers game looked increasingly in CSSC's favour.
The first half started out very even. St. James edged the early exchanges without carving out any real chances thank mostly to CSSC's solid back line, marshaled by the sunscreen slathered center back duo of Andrew Woolford and Greg Hodges. As the half wore on CSSC started to get in behind the St. James back line and went one up when Kamal pounced on a sluggish back pass and was brought down rounding the keeper. He dusted himself off, put the ball on the spot, and calmly slotted home from 12 yards. He could have had a second after being sent clean through by a raking Matt Loxley pass, but he couldn't quite lift the ball over the onrushing keeper.
Avid readers of this season's match reports will recall that the previous game against St. James also saw CSSC take a one goal lead in to the half only to end up on the wrong end of a 3-1 scoreline. History may well have repeated itself if it wasn't for Bob Walden's heroics in the CSSC net. St James tied it up fairly early on, after a bit of a defensive hari kari let a forward clean in on goal and he gently rolled the ball past Walden into the far corner. Only minutes later a looped St James cross from the byline found St James number 30 all alone six yards out, with a free header at a wide open net, only for Walden to launch himself back across goal and claw the ball out from under his cross bar. And he leapt up to snatch up the rebound as well. One of the best double saves ever. This is exactly what it looked like, except Walden (and pretty much everyone ever) has better hair. And Walden wasn't finished. Speedy number 14 raced through the CSSC back line in so much space he thought he was Sandra Bullock in Gravity only to have Walden slice away his low drive. Apparently CSSC only need three miracle saves to get back in the game. Manager John Loxley had seen enough and threw on Ian Hudson, Van Penner and Matt Loxley in an effort to turn the tide. And it worked. Devin Dorbolo chucked a long throw into the box, which Kamal cleverly dummied and Ian Hudson managed a side of the boot, one time flick right into Dylan Doerksen's path, who smashed it low into the net from close range. If CSSC had a training ground, this would have been off it. As St James began to tire CSSC looked the more likely winners and the game was made safe when CSSC used three passes to go coast to coast, the last of which was Ian Hudson sliding the ball through to the tireless Matt Loxley behind the St James back line and he blasted it through the keeper. CSSC could have had more. Mark Hudson rose like a slightly taller Muggsy Bogues only to drive a header just over the bar. The keeper also made two quality saves to deny I. Hudson and Kamal late in the game.
Man of the Match: Kamal played a good game on the field and talks a good game off it lobbying for the MotM award. Mark Meuwese had a strong game out wide and spent some of his CSSC World Cup Pool winnings on a delicious and much appreciated Summer Mingler (pictured below). Really, the whole team looked fairly solid front to back but the award has to go to Walden's show stopping saves early in the second half that kept CSSC in the contest.
Azzurri 5 - 0 CSSC
Tactics. Four out of five managers insist that they're crucial to on field success. The fifth does not have a job. Up against run away league leaders Azzurri, CSSC management was faced with a tactical dilemma. With an ageing line up, where is the best place to deploy the youthful vigor and quick feet of Van Penner - at the back or in the midfield. CSSC opted for wide mid in the hopes that he could get up and down the wing to good effect. As the scoreline suggests, it didn't work.
Things didn't look totally disastrous in the first half. There were half chances at both ends, with CSSC bossing the midfield and Azzurri looking very dangerous on the break. The veteran CSSC defense was just about holding on until an Azzurri cross glanced off Sean Brown's melon and right into the CSSC net, freshly vacated by 5th string keeper Mark Hudson's anticipation of an easy catch. Things started to turn when the cornerstones of the defense, Stef Fischer and Sean Brown limped off with lower body injuries. Suddenly, four subs fell to two and a very makeshift CSSC back line could not deal with a long Azzurri free kick toward CSSC killer number 21 who turned his man and fired an unstoppable volley off the angle of post and bar. Just before the half. It's a dagger.
Rather than drop Van Penner into defense to inject some much needed speed into the back four, CSSC management, missing tactical wizard John Loxley who was off on some social event or other, opted to stand pat. It was a mistake. Azzurri almost entirely ignored the middle of the park, spraying long balls right from the back to their fast forwards. Three goals came in quick succession. To describe them as route one would be accurate, but that wouldn't do justice to number 21's fantastic finishing. He got two of the three and both of them were absolute unstoppable belters from just outside the box. On the other hand, how CSSC failed to mark a man who has scored 5 goals in 2 games is also worth a bit of an investigation. Two 5 - 0 games in a row. The first one was probably more fun.
Man of the Match: For CSSC absolutely no one came away with any credit whatsoever. Should it go to Azzurri 21? If so, he's probably won more MotM awards than anyone from CSSC. Credit where credit is due I suppose.
Tactics. Four out of five managers insist that they're crucial to on field success. The fifth does not have a job. Up against run away league leaders Azzurri, CSSC management was faced with a tactical dilemma. With an ageing line up, where is the best place to deploy the youthful vigor and quick feet of Van Penner - at the back or in the midfield. CSSC opted for wide mid in the hopes that he could get up and down the wing to good effect. As the scoreline suggests, it didn't work.
Things didn't look totally disastrous in the first half. There were half chances at both ends, with CSSC bossing the midfield and Azzurri looking very dangerous on the break. The veteran CSSC defense was just about holding on until an Azzurri cross glanced off Sean Brown's melon and right into the CSSC net, freshly vacated by 5th string keeper Mark Hudson's anticipation of an easy catch. Things started to turn when the cornerstones of the defense, Stef Fischer and Sean Brown limped off with lower body injuries. Suddenly, four subs fell to two and a very makeshift CSSC back line could not deal with a long Azzurri free kick toward CSSC killer number 21 who turned his man and fired an unstoppable volley off the angle of post and bar. Just before the half. It's a dagger.
Rather than drop Van Penner into defense to inject some much needed speed into the back four, CSSC management, missing tactical wizard John Loxley who was off on some social event or other, opted to stand pat. It was a mistake. Azzurri almost entirely ignored the middle of the park, spraying long balls right from the back to their fast forwards. Three goals came in quick succession. To describe them as route one would be accurate, but that wouldn't do justice to number 21's fantastic finishing. He got two of the three and both of them were absolute unstoppable belters from just outside the box. On the other hand, how CSSC failed to mark a man who has scored 5 goals in 2 games is also worth a bit of an investigation. Two 5 - 0 games in a row. The first one was probably more fun.
Man of the Match: For CSSC absolutely no one came away with any credit whatsoever. Should it go to Azzurri 21? If so, he's probably won more MotM awards than anyone from CSSC. Credit where credit is due I suppose.
Polonia 0 - 5 CSSC
After a first half of the season that saw CSSC run up an underwhelming 4-5 record, it was time to claw back a bit above mid table mediocrity. In their quest for respectability, CSSC welcomed back Colin Kinsella and Kamal Chioua to a squad who were hoping that the club's new investment in ice baths would restore those tired muscles after only one days rest.
The first half was fairly even. CSSC had most of the ball and managed to create a few good chances early on, the best of which saw fringe festival favorite Kamal Chioua race to the byline and stand up a delightful floated cross to the far post but Eli Robinson couldn't force it home under pressure from a burly defender. Then, as has been the case so often this year, Bob Walden's work between the sticks kept CSSC level. Polonia's number 10 danced through a host of CSSC defenders and laced a low drive that was destined for the far post until Walden stuck out a strong hand to divert it out and Van Penner scrambled the loose ball clear of the box. Towards the end of the half Kamal sprung the high Polonia line, raced through and slid the ball low in the corner for a lead that was just about deserved. Just to add a little spice to the second half, in a tribute to the old timey band Squeeze, a bit of argy bargy broke out as the Doerksen brothers moved up several weight classes to exchange some lip with the Polonia midfield. Perhaps both teams should have been a bit more cool (for cats). Click on that Woolford.
The start to the second half was shocking on a number of fronts. CSSC pelted in 3 goals in about 10 minutes, which in itself is highly unusual, but the names on the score sheet were also a bit surprising. First, Ian Hudson stooped low to nod home a Jude DB near post corner. Then, Jude himself picked up a cross at the top of the 18, took a touch inside to beat his man and leathered it low into the corner. Finally, the giant Polonia keeper could only parry Kamal's shot from the top of the box and who was following up for the tap in but renowned goal getter Colin Kinsella. CSSC took their foot off a bit for the rest of the game but managed one more when set up man Jude DB's low driven cross was one timed into the roof of the net for Hudson's second (there's a phrase that will never be repeated again).
As the game wound down, it was fun and relaxation on the CSSC bench. You know things are going reasonably well when the subs are talking instagram posts rather than desperate tactical moves.
Man of the Match: It was boisterous good times at the Grove after the match despite unwarranted criticisms of Van Penner's being actually nice and Jude DB's turn to a healthier, more environmentally conscious diet. Voting on MotM was a bit divided. Jude DB is having a great year and a goal and two assists looks pretty good on the scorecard. Ian Hudson managed to get his 2nd and 3rd goals of the year, which would normally be rewarded with MotM. But Kamal's goal and an assist were just part of a performance that saw him show the Polonia defense a clean pair of heels all night. In addition, he maintained his cool after an elbow that left him with a bloody mouth. That and he bought the beers.
After a first half of the season that saw CSSC run up an underwhelming 4-5 record, it was time to claw back a bit above mid table mediocrity. In their quest for respectability, CSSC welcomed back Colin Kinsella and Kamal Chioua to a squad who were hoping that the club's new investment in ice baths would restore those tired muscles after only one days rest.
The first half was fairly even. CSSC had most of the ball and managed to create a few good chances early on, the best of which saw fringe festival favorite Kamal Chioua race to the byline and stand up a delightful floated cross to the far post but Eli Robinson couldn't force it home under pressure from a burly defender. Then, as has been the case so often this year, Bob Walden's work between the sticks kept CSSC level. Polonia's number 10 danced through a host of CSSC defenders and laced a low drive that was destined for the far post until Walden stuck out a strong hand to divert it out and Van Penner scrambled the loose ball clear of the box. Towards the end of the half Kamal sprung the high Polonia line, raced through and slid the ball low in the corner for a lead that was just about deserved. Just to add a little spice to the second half, in a tribute to the old timey band Squeeze, a bit of argy bargy broke out as the Doerksen brothers moved up several weight classes to exchange some lip with the Polonia midfield. Perhaps both teams should have been a bit more cool (for cats). Click on that Woolford.
The start to the second half was shocking on a number of fronts. CSSC pelted in 3 goals in about 10 minutes, which in itself is highly unusual, but the names on the score sheet were also a bit surprising. First, Ian Hudson stooped low to nod home a Jude DB near post corner. Then, Jude himself picked up a cross at the top of the 18, took a touch inside to beat his man and leathered it low into the corner. Finally, the giant Polonia keeper could only parry Kamal's shot from the top of the box and who was following up for the tap in but renowned goal getter Colin Kinsella. CSSC took their foot off a bit for the rest of the game but managed one more when set up man Jude DB's low driven cross was one timed into the roof of the net for Hudson's second (there's a phrase that will never be repeated again).
As the game wound down, it was fun and relaxation on the CSSC bench. You know things are going reasonably well when the subs are talking instagram posts rather than desperate tactical moves.
Man of the Match: It was boisterous good times at the Grove after the match despite unwarranted criticisms of Van Penner's being actually nice and Jude DB's turn to a healthier, more environmentally conscious diet. Voting on MotM was a bit divided. Jude DB is having a great year and a goal and two assists looks pretty good on the scorecard. Ian Hudson managed to get his 2nd and 3rd goals of the year, which would normally be rewarded with MotM. But Kamal's goal and an assist were just part of a performance that saw him show the Polonia defense a clean pair of heels all night. In addition, he maintained his cool after an elbow that left him with a bloody mouth. That and he bought the beers.
Southside Spvgg 3 - 1 CSSC
When you’re fielding a team in Division 6 July is always going to present a problem. Despite a very deep roster, CSSC was down to the bare bones on a sweltering Friday night because of school holiday vacations, the world ultimate disk catching championships (go General Strike!) and untimely injuries. On the surface, 14 starters didn’t look like a disaster, but three of those were toughing it out with a variety of lower body injuries and would be lucky to last the match. To make it worse, a number of CSSC’s more mobile players were not those to be seen warming up on the improving Buhler fields. The opposition, Southside, had bench strength so solid that someone had brought a guitar for a relaxed bit of pregame strumming. All that was missing from the casual Southside vibe was a campfire and some bongos.
Acoustic guitars are rarely the music of choice for pre game pump for a reason and Southside was a bit slow out the blocks. CSSC was rolling through the Southside mid and had four glorious chances before the game was 15 minutes old. Returning veteran Ian Hudson drove a low cross that Charaf nodded on goal, forcing a fine save from the Southside keeper who dove low to his right to keep the ball out. Then a bit of defensive confusion gifted Charaf a golden chance eight yards out and unmolested but he shot wide. Hudson took a lovely Wazoo layoff and made himself a bit of space at the top of the box but drove his shot straight at the keeper. Finally, Robinson rampaged down the right side and chipped the keeper from some distance but the ball pinged off the base of the post and back into the keeper’s grateful arms. Southside’s guitar induced relaxation waned as the half went on and their speedy number 7 started to cause havoc in the CSSC defense. However, the two goal lead that Southside took into the half were more down to CSSC sloppiness than Southside genius. A very long Southside through ball was chased down by one of the speedy Southside forwards and, with no CSSC players other than stalwarts Stef Fisher and Van Penner, making the trip back into their own end, Southside had plenty of time and passing options to open up some space to beat Walden from close range. The second was even worse, created by a misplayed back pass that was never going to reach Walden allowing that number 7 to intercept, round Walden, and tap in. We had chances early on but failed to take advantage – a familiar refrain.
CSSC clawed its way back into the match early in the second half, when Robinson and Hudson made like that annoying world cup commercial and worked a one-two on the edge of the box. Hudson's shot was blocked by a brave defender but the ball skidded right to Robinson who slotted home, back across the keeper and low into the net. Game on. CSSC seemed to have most of the play but were really only creating half chances until a defenders' sliced clearance reached Hudson about 25 yards out. In his first real game in quite a while Hudson was far too exhausted to actually run with it, or even control it for that matter, so he hit it one time and somehow unleashed a daisy cutter that flew past the keeper and, like Robinson's early effort, smacked the base of the post and bounced out rather than in. That was as close as CSSC got. Skilled but complainy number 7 salted the game away when he went on a Messi like run, beating three defenders and then tucking in his own rebound after Walden made a show stopper of a one on one save. In fact, Walden had to deny another clear breakaway to keep the game respectable. It's getting to be a bit of a tired refrain. We're playing well, we're even getting chances but those repeated two goal losses can't continue.
Man of the Match: Motor Mouth number 7 really won the game for the SS but for CSSC there was no question that the big man up front, Eli Robinson, was the star. Not only did he play the full 90 minutes, but he did so making great runs, harrying defenders and holding up the ball with excellent linking play all night. His delicious Xavier pizza at the Grove was well deserved.
When you’re fielding a team in Division 6 July is always going to present a problem. Despite a very deep roster, CSSC was down to the bare bones on a sweltering Friday night because of school holiday vacations, the world ultimate disk catching championships (go General Strike!) and untimely injuries. On the surface, 14 starters didn’t look like a disaster, but three of those were toughing it out with a variety of lower body injuries and would be lucky to last the match. To make it worse, a number of CSSC’s more mobile players were not those to be seen warming up on the improving Buhler fields. The opposition, Southside, had bench strength so solid that someone had brought a guitar for a relaxed bit of pregame strumming. All that was missing from the casual Southside vibe was a campfire and some bongos.
Acoustic guitars are rarely the music of choice for pre game pump for a reason and Southside was a bit slow out the blocks. CSSC was rolling through the Southside mid and had four glorious chances before the game was 15 minutes old. Returning veteran Ian Hudson drove a low cross that Charaf nodded on goal, forcing a fine save from the Southside keeper who dove low to his right to keep the ball out. Then a bit of defensive confusion gifted Charaf a golden chance eight yards out and unmolested but he shot wide. Hudson took a lovely Wazoo layoff and made himself a bit of space at the top of the box but drove his shot straight at the keeper. Finally, Robinson rampaged down the right side and chipped the keeper from some distance but the ball pinged off the base of the post and back into the keeper’s grateful arms. Southside’s guitar induced relaxation waned as the half went on and their speedy number 7 started to cause havoc in the CSSC defense. However, the two goal lead that Southside took into the half were more down to CSSC sloppiness than Southside genius. A very long Southside through ball was chased down by one of the speedy Southside forwards and, with no CSSC players other than stalwarts Stef Fisher and Van Penner, making the trip back into their own end, Southside had plenty of time and passing options to open up some space to beat Walden from close range. The second was even worse, created by a misplayed back pass that was never going to reach Walden allowing that number 7 to intercept, round Walden, and tap in. We had chances early on but failed to take advantage – a familiar refrain.
CSSC clawed its way back into the match early in the second half, when Robinson and Hudson made like that annoying world cup commercial and worked a one-two on the edge of the box. Hudson's shot was blocked by a brave defender but the ball skidded right to Robinson who slotted home, back across the keeper and low into the net. Game on. CSSC seemed to have most of the play but were really only creating half chances until a defenders' sliced clearance reached Hudson about 25 yards out. In his first real game in quite a while Hudson was far too exhausted to actually run with it, or even control it for that matter, so he hit it one time and somehow unleashed a daisy cutter that flew past the keeper and, like Robinson's early effort, smacked the base of the post and bounced out rather than in. That was as close as CSSC got. Skilled but complainy number 7 salted the game away when he went on a Messi like run, beating three defenders and then tucking in his own rebound after Walden made a show stopper of a one on one save. In fact, Walden had to deny another clear breakaway to keep the game respectable. It's getting to be a bit of a tired refrain. We're playing well, we're even getting chances but those repeated two goal losses can't continue.
Man of the Match: Motor Mouth number 7 really won the game for the SS but for CSSC there was no question that the big man up front, Eli Robinson, was the star. Not only did he play the full 90 minutes, but he did so making great runs, harrying defenders and holding up the ball with excellent linking play all night. His delicious Xavier pizza at the Grove was well deserved.
CSSC 8 - 0 Portage
This game was really all about the numbers. Worried about low numbers and high temperatures, CSSC management dug into their farm team to call up promising young prospect Tyler Johnson to ensure that they had plenty of bench strength on a warm early July evening. Portage, on the other hand, not only failed to but bums on the bench seats conveniently provided by the Buhler grounds crew, but were two players short of the recommended 11. Despite CSSC's problems with 10 man Tri S well documented in a previous match report, the CSSC reds didn't have much trouble with 9.
Like Vin Diesel, CSSC was scoring Fast and Furious. A complete recounting of all the goals is both impossible, since the match reporter couldn't scribble down names and incidents sufficiently quickly, and a bit unnecessary since not much credit goes to any one of the eight goals notched. Top scorer Robinson got things rolling and added another three to inflate his goal tally for the season, despite not really trying to finish a number of his chances. Harney, Chioua, and both Hudsons managed tallies of their own at some point or another of the game to round out the scoring. Of more note was the generally good spirit that both teams played in. Portage kept their good humour despite the mounting score, best exemplified by the non stop wit of their player sporting a tremendous set of mutton chop whiskers, whose dead grandmother in a wheelchair is apparently such a clinical finisher that its a wonder Real Madrid hasn't come calling. In the end, the score was getting sufficiently lopsided and Portage sufficiently exhausted that the game was officially called and CSSC gave them a few players for a friendly scrimmage to see out the remaining minutes. The only downside on the whole evening was that Van Penner, loaned to Portage for the friendly scrimmage, managed to hobble CSSC wing wizard Niall Harney in his first game back from yet another booze fueled vacation, but without the family friendly message of the movie European Vacation. Hopefully, the alarming swelling in Niall's ankle was merely frightening rather than serious.
Man of the Match: If it's who contributed the most to the match atmosphere, then it has to be Mr. Mutton Chops. However, since the award usually goes to someone vaguely associated with CSSC, we'll give it to our large number of fans that showed up on a lovely summer evening to cheer us on. Perhaps most impressively, Sue Hudson turned up for some side line viewing only three weeks after hip replacement surgery proving that CSSC is far more entertaining than a 22nd night of prime time TV. It's a low bar, but those are the kind of heights we can get over.
This game was really all about the numbers. Worried about low numbers and high temperatures, CSSC management dug into their farm team to call up promising young prospect Tyler Johnson to ensure that they had plenty of bench strength on a warm early July evening. Portage, on the other hand, not only failed to but bums on the bench seats conveniently provided by the Buhler grounds crew, but were two players short of the recommended 11. Despite CSSC's problems with 10 man Tri S well documented in a previous match report, the CSSC reds didn't have much trouble with 9.
Like Vin Diesel, CSSC was scoring Fast and Furious. A complete recounting of all the goals is both impossible, since the match reporter couldn't scribble down names and incidents sufficiently quickly, and a bit unnecessary since not much credit goes to any one of the eight goals notched. Top scorer Robinson got things rolling and added another three to inflate his goal tally for the season, despite not really trying to finish a number of his chances. Harney, Chioua, and both Hudsons managed tallies of their own at some point or another of the game to round out the scoring. Of more note was the generally good spirit that both teams played in. Portage kept their good humour despite the mounting score, best exemplified by the non stop wit of their player sporting a tremendous set of mutton chop whiskers, whose dead grandmother in a wheelchair is apparently such a clinical finisher that its a wonder Real Madrid hasn't come calling. In the end, the score was getting sufficiently lopsided and Portage sufficiently exhausted that the game was officially called and CSSC gave them a few players for a friendly scrimmage to see out the remaining minutes. The only downside on the whole evening was that Van Penner, loaned to Portage for the friendly scrimmage, managed to hobble CSSC wing wizard Niall Harney in his first game back from yet another booze fueled vacation, but without the family friendly message of the movie European Vacation. Hopefully, the alarming swelling in Niall's ankle was merely frightening rather than serious.
Man of the Match: If it's who contributed the most to the match atmosphere, then it has to be Mr. Mutton Chops. However, since the award usually goes to someone vaguely associated with CSSC, we'll give it to our large number of fans that showed up on a lovely summer evening to cheer us on. Perhaps most impressively, Sue Hudson turned up for some side line viewing only three weeks after hip replacement surgery proving that CSSC is far more entertaining than a 22nd night of prime time TV. It's a low bar, but those are the kind of heights we can get over.
CSSC 2 - 4 Superbia
On a late Wednesday night under the lights of Waverly Stadium, CSSC were out for a bit of revenge against Superbia, the team that had the temerity to knock them out of the Bison Cup in the first round. CSSC were without a few of their stalwarts with Van Penner, Niall Harney and Eli Robinson all taking unsanctioned holidays while Ian Hudson and keeper Mac Andries fought for space on CSSC's one physio table.
Things could scarcely have started better. Passes were being strung together, runs were being made and CSSC took the lead early on when a CSSC cross struck a Superbia arm. While the whole "ball to hand" thing always takes some interpreting, when your arm is that far away from you body, it's an easy call. A few of the more vocal members of the CSSC bench called for Dylan to take the penalty and he responded with a cool finish, sending the keeper the wrong way and side footing home. Then another from Dylan's growing repertoire of highlight reel goals. He stripped a defender at the top of the box, pulled a sweet lollipop out of the lunch box to beat another and slapped it in off the far post from a tight angle. It could/should have been more. Devin Doerksen, eager to match his brother's goal scoring achievements smacked a long range sighter off the bar. The rebound fell right to Wazoo, following in as all good goal getters do, but he couldn't steer the ball on target from very close range. Then Dylan sent a lovely searching pass over the back line that picked out Wazoo's intelligent run but rather than steering it on net, Wazoo opted for an unselfish cut back that Devin didn't anticipate. But Superbia are fast across the front and late in the half speedy number 9 got in behind the CSSC defense and buried a scuffed shot into the top of the net. 2-1 but CSSC should have been further ahead after a very good half of footie.
The second half was not the same. Superbia's speed really told and they scored three goals of varying quality to put the game away, while CSSC struggled to even get a shot on net. The first two came very quickly after the break, with Superbia scoring on a near post drive that squirmed under Chioua, who bravely replaced Walden in goal for the second half, and a rebound tap in after Chioua dove to his right to parry a fierce low drive. CSSC made a bit of a half hearted push for an equalizer but was caught on the break by super fast number 7 who turned the CSSC defense and drove home to seal the victory. Like Argentina trailing in the wake of Mbappe, in the end, CSSC could not stay with Superbia's speed. Such was the combination of despair and exhaustion at the final whistle that no one even suggested going out for a midnight drink after the game.
Man of the Match: No one looked good in that stinker of a second half but Dylan looked like a football wizard in the first, not only scoring two goals but also charging back to break up Superbia attacks and spraying the ball around the mid. Easy choice really.
On a late Wednesday night under the lights of Waverly Stadium, CSSC were out for a bit of revenge against Superbia, the team that had the temerity to knock them out of the Bison Cup in the first round. CSSC were without a few of their stalwarts with Van Penner, Niall Harney and Eli Robinson all taking unsanctioned holidays while Ian Hudson and keeper Mac Andries fought for space on CSSC's one physio table.
Things could scarcely have started better. Passes were being strung together, runs were being made and CSSC took the lead early on when a CSSC cross struck a Superbia arm. While the whole "ball to hand" thing always takes some interpreting, when your arm is that far away from you body, it's an easy call. A few of the more vocal members of the CSSC bench called for Dylan to take the penalty and he responded with a cool finish, sending the keeper the wrong way and side footing home. Then another from Dylan's growing repertoire of highlight reel goals. He stripped a defender at the top of the box, pulled a sweet lollipop out of the lunch box to beat another and slapped it in off the far post from a tight angle. It could/should have been more. Devin Doerksen, eager to match his brother's goal scoring achievements smacked a long range sighter off the bar. The rebound fell right to Wazoo, following in as all good goal getters do, but he couldn't steer the ball on target from very close range. Then Dylan sent a lovely searching pass over the back line that picked out Wazoo's intelligent run but rather than steering it on net, Wazoo opted for an unselfish cut back that Devin didn't anticipate. But Superbia are fast across the front and late in the half speedy number 9 got in behind the CSSC defense and buried a scuffed shot into the top of the net. 2-1 but CSSC should have been further ahead after a very good half of footie.
The second half was not the same. Superbia's speed really told and they scored three goals of varying quality to put the game away, while CSSC struggled to even get a shot on net. The first two came very quickly after the break, with Superbia scoring on a near post drive that squirmed under Chioua, who bravely replaced Walden in goal for the second half, and a rebound tap in after Chioua dove to his right to parry a fierce low drive. CSSC made a bit of a half hearted push for an equalizer but was caught on the break by super fast number 7 who turned the CSSC defense and drove home to seal the victory. Like Argentina trailing in the wake of Mbappe, in the end, CSSC could not stay with Superbia's speed. Such was the combination of despair and exhaustion at the final whistle that no one even suggested going out for a midnight drink after the game.
Man of the Match: No one looked good in that stinker of a second half but Dylan looked like a football wizard in the first, not only scoring two goals but also charging back to break up Superbia attacks and spraying the ball around the mid. Easy choice really.
CSSC 0 - 1 Tri S
This will go down as one of the worst losses in recent CSSC memory. In fact, the scarring was so great that only now that the painful memories have faded can the match reporter sit down in front of the keyboard and type out this sorry tale of woe. Things looked positive in the warm up as it became apparent that Tri S would have exactly 11 players while CSSC had a delightfully full bench despite the absence of Dylan Doerksen, due to the call of cottage country, and Van Penner who was off in search of a river monster with master angler Rick.
Things started out so well. CSSC was pumping balls into the Tri S box and seemed to be a mere toe poke away from opening the scoring on many an occasion. But then disaster struck. After about 30 minutes a Tri S player limped off with a muscle strain, reducing them to 10 men for the rest of the game. A team that packs the box and defends deep has always been an enigma to CSSC's goal scoring abilities, and this game proved no exception. Even though there is absolutely no way that it is harder to play against 10 men, as is sometimes claimed by the poorly informed, CSSC tried to make it so. Basically the ball never left the Tri S half, but neither did it enter their box. Perhaps more time on those offensive drills might pay some dividends.
The start of the second half was considerably worse. CSSC was somehow pinned back by 10 players and conceded a goal after CSSC failed to clear a corner and a Tri S striker was given enough time to grind his beans, boil his water and do a careful pour over before sliding the ball just inside the far post, past the despairing dive of Walden in the CSSC net. The last 30 minutes CSSC started to pile on the pressure but now that they were finally creating chances they could not finish, as two golden opportunities went begging in the dying minutes. I suppose you could say we are the team that loves an underdog. Tri S had picked up the fewest points so far this season and were down a man for most of the game. Never let it be said that CSSC didn't try to help people off the bottom. You know those road rockets on the way out of town were going to go down so sweet when they could squeeze them in between celebratory woo-hoos.
Man of the Match: Jude DB is looking very good out wide for CSSC and he was the only player that escaped with any real credit. The player that would have turned the game in CSSC's favor was allowed to slip through CSSC management's fingers this summer. It was the kind of game where Kevin Dick would have scored two goals and we would have run out comfortable 3-1 winners. So, I guess the person the most responsible for the Tri S victory was Kevin Dick (or the absence of Kevin Dick. I never really understood the counterfactual). He'll get a complimentary beer the next time we're drinking in a parking lot together. Not that I'm admitting that ever happens.
This will go down as one of the worst losses in recent CSSC memory. In fact, the scarring was so great that only now that the painful memories have faded can the match reporter sit down in front of the keyboard and type out this sorry tale of woe. Things looked positive in the warm up as it became apparent that Tri S would have exactly 11 players while CSSC had a delightfully full bench despite the absence of Dylan Doerksen, due to the call of cottage country, and Van Penner who was off in search of a river monster with master angler Rick.
Things started out so well. CSSC was pumping balls into the Tri S box and seemed to be a mere toe poke away from opening the scoring on many an occasion. But then disaster struck. After about 30 minutes a Tri S player limped off with a muscle strain, reducing them to 10 men for the rest of the game. A team that packs the box and defends deep has always been an enigma to CSSC's goal scoring abilities, and this game proved no exception. Even though there is absolutely no way that it is harder to play against 10 men, as is sometimes claimed by the poorly informed, CSSC tried to make it so. Basically the ball never left the Tri S half, but neither did it enter their box. Perhaps more time on those offensive drills might pay some dividends.
The start of the second half was considerably worse. CSSC was somehow pinned back by 10 players and conceded a goal after CSSC failed to clear a corner and a Tri S striker was given enough time to grind his beans, boil his water and do a careful pour over before sliding the ball just inside the far post, past the despairing dive of Walden in the CSSC net. The last 30 minutes CSSC started to pile on the pressure but now that they were finally creating chances they could not finish, as two golden opportunities went begging in the dying minutes. I suppose you could say we are the team that loves an underdog. Tri S had picked up the fewest points so far this season and were down a man for most of the game. Never let it be said that CSSC didn't try to help people off the bottom. You know those road rockets on the way out of town were going to go down so sweet when they could squeeze them in between celebratory woo-hoos.
Man of the Match: Jude DB is looking very good out wide for CSSC and he was the only player that escaped with any real credit. The player that would have turned the game in CSSC's favor was allowed to slip through CSSC management's fingers this summer. It was the kind of game where Kevin Dick would have scored two goals and we would have run out comfortable 3-1 winners. So, I guess the person the most responsible for the Tri S victory was Kevin Dick (or the absence of Kevin Dick. I never really understood the counterfactual). He'll get a complimentary beer the next time we're drinking in a parking lot together. Not that I'm admitting that ever happens.
St James 3 - 1 CSSC
It was a baking hot June evening. All the worse for three last minute cancellations to half the CSSC bench strength from a luxurious 6 to a meager 3. To add to the CSSC worries, there was a shocking shortage of youth at the midfield position, with only the baby faced assassin Jude DB putting in an appearance for the under 40 crowd. As a result CSSC would be fielding what is surely the highest combined age of any four person midfield in the history of soccer, just edging up to 200.
Despite the worries, CSSC put in what was probably its best half of soccer all year. The early stages were dominated by CSSC and their pressure told when Kinsella fired in a low bullet of a cross and Eli Robinson got a brave header past what was clearly the back up St. James keeper (not because he was rubbish but because of his cotton tshirt). It should have been more. Wazoo picked up the ball at midfield and danced through St. James' center back duo before rolling it past the keeper and off the inside of the far post. Eli's follow up was blocked by a desperate slide and went out for a corner. Woolford's outswinger again found Robinson, whose header was nodded off the goal line by the man on the post amid CSSC calls for the VAR, but the video replay judges were busy fetching beers from the Buhler canteen, so they were in no position to evaluate CSSC claims that the ball had crossed the line. The only complaint about a splendid first half could have been that CSSC should have scored more.
And they were made to pay. Early in the second half, classy sweeper number 14 broke up a CSSC attack and raced down the wing. He managed a lovely Cruyff turn to hold on to the ball and drove a low pass across the top of the CSSC box where it found large but skilled number 30 who drove a Nacho style volley in off the far post. The rest of the half was very even. A St. James striker broke through the CSSC line only to have his low blast thwarted by CSSC's own stand in Ali Chioua. Jude DB sent his center mid counterpart Mark Hudson sprinting in all alone with a delightful looping through ball, but Mr T shirt in the St James goal rushed out to deflect Hudson's shot wide. With chances at both ends a tie seemed fair but unlikely and in the dying minutes St James took the lead when a striker managed to stoop to a low cross and send it looping right into the top corner. To add insult, with CSSC's entire squad pushed up for a last minute free kick, St James scored a third on an end to end fast break. Is it OK to say that the score flattered St James or does that sound like sour grapes?
Man of the Match: Pretty much the whole CSSC squad had a good outing. Wazoo is starting to find his close control game. Eli has regained his form as one of the premium target men in the division. Sean Brown was a calm and organized presence at the back. Mark Hudson is getting back to his combative Roy Keane best. But Kinsella not only set up the only goal but played the kind of effortless one touch passing football that purists love. And he managed this after participating in an all afternoon sweat before the game. "I drank some water" said the understated Kinsella.
It was a baking hot June evening. All the worse for three last minute cancellations to half the CSSC bench strength from a luxurious 6 to a meager 3. To add to the CSSC worries, there was a shocking shortage of youth at the midfield position, with only the baby faced assassin Jude DB putting in an appearance for the under 40 crowd. As a result CSSC would be fielding what is surely the highest combined age of any four person midfield in the history of soccer, just edging up to 200.
Despite the worries, CSSC put in what was probably its best half of soccer all year. The early stages were dominated by CSSC and their pressure told when Kinsella fired in a low bullet of a cross and Eli Robinson got a brave header past what was clearly the back up St. James keeper (not because he was rubbish but because of his cotton tshirt). It should have been more. Wazoo picked up the ball at midfield and danced through St. James' center back duo before rolling it past the keeper and off the inside of the far post. Eli's follow up was blocked by a desperate slide and went out for a corner. Woolford's outswinger again found Robinson, whose header was nodded off the goal line by the man on the post amid CSSC calls for the VAR, but the video replay judges were busy fetching beers from the Buhler canteen, so they were in no position to evaluate CSSC claims that the ball had crossed the line. The only complaint about a splendid first half could have been that CSSC should have scored more.
And they were made to pay. Early in the second half, classy sweeper number 14 broke up a CSSC attack and raced down the wing. He managed a lovely Cruyff turn to hold on to the ball and drove a low pass across the top of the CSSC box where it found large but skilled number 30 who drove a Nacho style volley in off the far post. The rest of the half was very even. A St. James striker broke through the CSSC line only to have his low blast thwarted by CSSC's own stand in Ali Chioua. Jude DB sent his center mid counterpart Mark Hudson sprinting in all alone with a delightful looping through ball, but Mr T shirt in the St James goal rushed out to deflect Hudson's shot wide. With chances at both ends a tie seemed fair but unlikely and in the dying minutes St James took the lead when a striker managed to stoop to a low cross and send it looping right into the top corner. To add insult, with CSSC's entire squad pushed up for a last minute free kick, St James scored a third on an end to end fast break. Is it OK to say that the score flattered St James or does that sound like sour grapes?
Man of the Match: Pretty much the whole CSSC squad had a good outing. Wazoo is starting to find his close control game. Eli has regained his form as one of the premium target men in the division. Sean Brown was a calm and organized presence at the back. Mark Hudson is getting back to his combative Roy Keane best. But Kinsella not only set up the only goal but played the kind of effortless one touch passing football that purists love. And he managed this after participating in an all afternoon sweat before the game. "I drank some water" said the understated Kinsella.
CSSC 3 - 0 Grunthal
CSSC's crack scouting squad had noticed a crucial flaw in Grunthal's early season performances. Careful statistical analysis of their previous games revealed that they weren't playing with 11 players. CSSC management felt like a 6:00 weekday game would make it tough for an out of town team to improve on this trend, so it was a slight disappointment that Grunthal ran out with a full 11, although, on the plus side, this didn't leave them with any subs. On the other side CSSC was fielding a full 6 players on the bench, and could welcome back CSSC's version of Darren Anderton, Niall Harney, from his tour from North Scotland to Southern Spain. Such was the CSSC confidence that most of the pregame chatter revolved around injured veteran midfielder Ian Hudson's bold (or unwise) purchase of a new pair of going out on the town shorts.
Clearly distracted by Ian's aggressive short pattern of both circles and squares, CSSC was having trouble focusing on the game at hand and Grunthal's dangerous attack was running rampant. Fast and tricky number 4 left a couple of CSSC defenders in his wake down the left and his centering cross struck covering defender Stef's arm for a penalty that was both probably the right call but also genuinely unlucky. Number 4 decided that earning the penalty gave him the right to take the penalty but his low, hard drive was saved by a firm Bob Walden foot to preserve the deadlock and cause great jumping up and down on the CSSC bench. Walden's brilliant save was clearly the game's turning point. CSSC came more into the game and the next chance was created when Dylan Doerksen pounced on a bobbling ball about 30 yards out and sent a dipping volley over the desperate dive of the keeper but also just over the bar. Then Van Penner slid a lovely pass down CSSC's right for a hard charging Charaf, who shrugged off the covering defender and very calmly slid the ball into the far corner with the outside of his boot. The game turned even more in CSSC's favor when Penner delivered a delightful free kick into the danger area behind the Grunthal back line and power forward Eli Robinson burst past the last defender and placed a lovely chip over the keeper and into the back of the net. 2-0 at the half and no subs for the visitors.
The second half was pretty comfortable. Bob Walden in the CSSC goal had a few long rangers to deal with but most of the traffic was going the other way. After 15 minutes Dylan Doerksen provided a reminder of his on the ball class when he picked up the ball on the left, schooled two defenders and then cut across the face of goal, only to fire a rocket just over the angle of post and bar. The game was truly put to rest when emerging set up man Penner notched his third assist when he spun a cross into the opposing area. The Grunthal keeper misread the tricky spin but striker Kamal Chioua anticipated it perfectly, providing him the opportunity to lob a header over the stranded keeper and into the net. As Pete Hudson sagely noted in the moments he wasn't instructing the cooking staff of the Grove how to properly prepare a sausage (browned on all four sides of course), "It was the kind of goal that anyone who wants to call themselves a striker should put away." The game wandered towards its predictable end. As statistical expert Wazoo noted towards the end: The more players we have and the less the other teams have the better we look.
Man of the Match: Walden turned the game. His willingness and ability to step between the posts has been a godsend to CSSC over the last few seasons and tonight was yet another example of his value to the team. However, simply because he didn't have much to do in the second half, the award goes to an outfield player. Matt Loxley had another tireless game chasing and harrying his way into Grunthal midfielders' nightmares. Van Penner's three assists from the back showed his keen eye for a killer pass, but the award goes to Eli Robinson, who scored the goal of the game and was making threatening runs and intelligent plays all night. The only black spot on his performance was his lack of attendance at the Grove post match.
CSSC's crack scouting squad had noticed a crucial flaw in Grunthal's early season performances. Careful statistical analysis of their previous games revealed that they weren't playing with 11 players. CSSC management felt like a 6:00 weekday game would make it tough for an out of town team to improve on this trend, so it was a slight disappointment that Grunthal ran out with a full 11, although, on the plus side, this didn't leave them with any subs. On the other side CSSC was fielding a full 6 players on the bench, and could welcome back CSSC's version of Darren Anderton, Niall Harney, from his tour from North Scotland to Southern Spain. Such was the CSSC confidence that most of the pregame chatter revolved around injured veteran midfielder Ian Hudson's bold (or unwise) purchase of a new pair of going out on the town shorts.
Clearly distracted by Ian's aggressive short pattern of both circles and squares, CSSC was having trouble focusing on the game at hand and Grunthal's dangerous attack was running rampant. Fast and tricky number 4 left a couple of CSSC defenders in his wake down the left and his centering cross struck covering defender Stef's arm for a penalty that was both probably the right call but also genuinely unlucky. Number 4 decided that earning the penalty gave him the right to take the penalty but his low, hard drive was saved by a firm Bob Walden foot to preserve the deadlock and cause great jumping up and down on the CSSC bench. Walden's brilliant save was clearly the game's turning point. CSSC came more into the game and the next chance was created when Dylan Doerksen pounced on a bobbling ball about 30 yards out and sent a dipping volley over the desperate dive of the keeper but also just over the bar. Then Van Penner slid a lovely pass down CSSC's right for a hard charging Charaf, who shrugged off the covering defender and very calmly slid the ball into the far corner with the outside of his boot. The game turned even more in CSSC's favor when Penner delivered a delightful free kick into the danger area behind the Grunthal back line and power forward Eli Robinson burst past the last defender and placed a lovely chip over the keeper and into the back of the net. 2-0 at the half and no subs for the visitors.
The second half was pretty comfortable. Bob Walden in the CSSC goal had a few long rangers to deal with but most of the traffic was going the other way. After 15 minutes Dylan Doerksen provided a reminder of his on the ball class when he picked up the ball on the left, schooled two defenders and then cut across the face of goal, only to fire a rocket just over the angle of post and bar. The game was truly put to rest when emerging set up man Penner notched his third assist when he spun a cross into the opposing area. The Grunthal keeper misread the tricky spin but striker Kamal Chioua anticipated it perfectly, providing him the opportunity to lob a header over the stranded keeper and into the net. As Pete Hudson sagely noted in the moments he wasn't instructing the cooking staff of the Grove how to properly prepare a sausage (browned on all four sides of course), "It was the kind of goal that anyone who wants to call themselves a striker should put away." The game wandered towards its predictable end. As statistical expert Wazoo noted towards the end: The more players we have and the less the other teams have the better we look.
Man of the Match: Walden turned the game. His willingness and ability to step between the posts has been a godsend to CSSC over the last few seasons and tonight was yet another example of his value to the team. However, simply because he didn't have much to do in the second half, the award goes to an outfield player. Matt Loxley had another tireless game chasing and harrying his way into Grunthal midfielders' nightmares. Van Penner's three assists from the back showed his keen eye for a killer pass, but the award goes to Eli Robinson, who scored the goal of the game and was making threatening runs and intelligent plays all night. The only black spot on his performance was his lack of attendance at the Grove post match.
Les Blues 1 - 2 CSSC
It may be early in the season, but two losses on the trot were generating some grumbles in the CSSC dressing room. There was talk of changing formations and even a shock return to the green jerseys in an effort to turn things around. In keeping with CSSC's commitment to tradition, neither formations, nor jerseys were altered in a weekend confrontation contre Les Bleus, but with a full bench and starting keeper Mac Andries back between the sticks optimism was high.
Optimism was also short lived as Les Bleus got the better of the early stages. With their stylish number 17 putting on a nutmeg clinic, they nearly broke the game open early when one of their oversize midfielders found space in the CSSC box and side footed a close range one timer off the CSSC bar. The warning to pick up Les Bleus players over 6 feet tall went unheeded and they went ahead off a well placed header from a corner that eluded the despairing dive of Andries. CSSC rode its luck for much of the first half and Les Bleus went close yet again when a long range dipper bounced off the post and along the CSSC goal line before being scrambled out of play by Van Penner. This is not to say that CSSC didn't have chances of its own, Ian Hudson sent big front runner EIi Robinson sprinting clear on goal but his shot across goal rolled just wide. Charaf also failed to connect properly after getting teed up by an intelligent cut back following some good work along the end line by Devin Doerksen. Just before half CSSC engineered a bit of panic in the Bleus box and Van Penner's slightly wild slash at a loose ball was turned into his own net by an unfortunate defender. CSSC needed considerable fortune at both ends to end the half level.
The second half was far better for CSSC. With both Charaf and Kamal Chioua providing some excellent holding and link up play from the forward position, the midfield passing much improved and emerging fan favorite Van Penner shutting down dangerous number 17, CSSC looked like a different side. Even when CSSC is on the front foot, opposition keepers do not quite live in the constant fear that one would hope, so there were few chances of any real danger to report until very late in the contest when Devin Doerksen's cross from the right found Kamal at the top of the box. With the ball a bit behind him, Kamal laid it off to marauding center back Stef Fischer who placed a side footer in off the base of the far post from just outside the box. Cue mass jubilation from the CSSC bench and a stalwart holding job for the last five minutes.
Man of the Match: In the second half, Bruce Sewart won everything that came near him at the back, Matt Loxley hunted down opposition attacks across the midfield and Charaf put in the kind of strong hold up play that fans have been looking for from CSSC's largest and most unmovable player. But the assembled drinkers at The Yellow Dog, John Loxley's favorite bar in town, could not overlook Van Penner's role in turning the game in CSSC's favor both in attack and defense. Two MotM in a row? Someone is making a strong early run for MVP.
It may be early in the season, but two losses on the trot were generating some grumbles in the CSSC dressing room. There was talk of changing formations and even a shock return to the green jerseys in an effort to turn things around. In keeping with CSSC's commitment to tradition, neither formations, nor jerseys were altered in a weekend confrontation contre Les Bleus, but with a full bench and starting keeper Mac Andries back between the sticks optimism was high.
Optimism was also short lived as Les Bleus got the better of the early stages. With their stylish number 17 putting on a nutmeg clinic, they nearly broke the game open early when one of their oversize midfielders found space in the CSSC box and side footed a close range one timer off the CSSC bar. The warning to pick up Les Bleus players over 6 feet tall went unheeded and they went ahead off a well placed header from a corner that eluded the despairing dive of Andries. CSSC rode its luck for much of the first half and Les Bleus went close yet again when a long range dipper bounced off the post and along the CSSC goal line before being scrambled out of play by Van Penner. This is not to say that CSSC didn't have chances of its own, Ian Hudson sent big front runner EIi Robinson sprinting clear on goal but his shot across goal rolled just wide. Charaf also failed to connect properly after getting teed up by an intelligent cut back following some good work along the end line by Devin Doerksen. Just before half CSSC engineered a bit of panic in the Bleus box and Van Penner's slightly wild slash at a loose ball was turned into his own net by an unfortunate defender. CSSC needed considerable fortune at both ends to end the half level.
The second half was far better for CSSC. With both Charaf and Kamal Chioua providing some excellent holding and link up play from the forward position, the midfield passing much improved and emerging fan favorite Van Penner shutting down dangerous number 17, CSSC looked like a different side. Even when CSSC is on the front foot, opposition keepers do not quite live in the constant fear that one would hope, so there were few chances of any real danger to report until very late in the contest when Devin Doerksen's cross from the right found Kamal at the top of the box. With the ball a bit behind him, Kamal laid it off to marauding center back Stef Fischer who placed a side footer in off the base of the far post from just outside the box. Cue mass jubilation from the CSSC bench and a stalwart holding job for the last five minutes.
Man of the Match: In the second half, Bruce Sewart won everything that came near him at the back, Matt Loxley hunted down opposition attacks across the midfield and Charaf put in the kind of strong hold up play that fans have been looking for from CSSC's largest and most unmovable player. But the assembled drinkers at The Yellow Dog, John Loxley's favorite bar in town, could not overlook Van Penner's role in turning the game in CSSC's favor both in attack and defense. Two MotM in a row? Someone is making a strong early run for MVP.
BISON CUP CSSC 1 - 4 Superbia
Last year CSSC managed to progress to the 4th round of the Bison Cup on the back of some memorable upsets. This year there would be no kind lower division draw in the early rounds as CSSC found itself paired with fellow division 6 resident, and cryptically titled, Superbia. On the plus side CSSC was fielding a strong squad of 5 substitutes, one of whom was Winnipeg's current man of the hour, Kamal Chioua (pictured below) whose performance as the Jack Black character in the School of Rock is garnering glowing reviews from around the world. "The role he was borne to play." raved one critic. "5 stars" enthused another. On the downside two of those five subs were returning veterans Ian and Mark Hudson, coming back for their first competitive match for three months and four years respectively. Ironically, the Hudson out for four years looked like he hadn't missed a step while the one out for three months looked like a movie extra fighting a superhero, a step too slow.
CSSC started off the match looking quite assured. Colin Kinsella and Dylan Doerksen had the CSSC midfield ticking over like a metronome. However, the dominance in possession tended to be in areas that would not overly concern the Superbia back line. There was also little threat to stand in CSSC keeper Bob Walden's goal until a deep defensive give away caused a two on one. Despite Mark Hudson getting in a superb tackle, the ball bounced kindly to the other Superbia striker who slotted home from close range. CSSC leveled soon after with an excellent attack down the right. A cross from the marauding Van Penner was unselfishly dummied by Eli Robinson for up and coming actor Kamal Chioua whose well stuck low drive could only be parried into the path of Penner who rammed the rebound home. Tragically, equality was also short lived. Superbia's number 31 in the central midfield turned Ian Hudson and slid a delightful through ball to little number 7, who unfortunately possesses the highly desirable attributes of skill and speed that allowed him to split the CSSC defense and fire low across Walden and into the far corner.
The second half didn't get any better. That's not to say that CSSC didn't push. The second half started off with CSSC moving the ball around midfield in eye catching fashion, which resulted in long range testers from Robinson and Doerksen that were well struck but too close to the keeper. There were also a number of occasions on which the ball was bouncing around the Superbia box but the CSSC attackers were beaten to the ball by Superbia's deep lying defense. The two best chances fell to Chioua, who did manage to pounce on loose balls in very close, but both his efforts smacked right into the keeper's tummy. Then Superbia got two on the break. The first just squirmed over the line after CSSC turned the ball over off their own throw in deep in their zone, resulting in a cross to an unmarked winger. The second on a lightening counter when CSSC was pressing late. The Superbia forward turned a CSSC defender at center and raced off down the wing. Center back Brown was forced across the cover, leaving speedy number 14 all alone for the inch perfect cross and he made no mistake. To add injury to insult, reliable defender Andrew Woolford struggled off with a broken finger after a bit of push and shove with with a largish Superbia forward. In the NFL they would have just snapped that little fellow back in place, but in Manitoba rec soccer, it was off to emergency for xrays and a much needed splint.
Some managers will tell you the mark of a good team is that they can win while playing badly. What do you make of a team that looses when playing reasonably well? Some sections of the fan base are turning their earn season worries on management's refusal to sign top striker Kevin Dick who was linked to the team in the off season. Would Dick have scored on this hot, spring afternoon? Probably.
Man of the Match: CSSC's midfield looked pretty strong in a fluid passing, but non threatening sort of way. The threatening exception to this general rule was Van Penner who not only slotted in CSSCs only goal, but whose overall game was marked by strong tackling and intelligent runs. This, despite a desperate three hour drive in from Brandon to make the game. And he joined us for beers in John Loxley's cribs-worthy basement for a PVR'd reminder of what real tragedy looks like in the form of poor Karius in the Champions League final.
Last year CSSC managed to progress to the 4th round of the Bison Cup on the back of some memorable upsets. This year there would be no kind lower division draw in the early rounds as CSSC found itself paired with fellow division 6 resident, and cryptically titled, Superbia. On the plus side CSSC was fielding a strong squad of 5 substitutes, one of whom was Winnipeg's current man of the hour, Kamal Chioua (pictured below) whose performance as the Jack Black character in the School of Rock is garnering glowing reviews from around the world. "The role he was borne to play." raved one critic. "5 stars" enthused another. On the downside two of those five subs were returning veterans Ian and Mark Hudson, coming back for their first competitive match for three months and four years respectively. Ironically, the Hudson out for four years looked like he hadn't missed a step while the one out for three months looked like a movie extra fighting a superhero, a step too slow.
CSSC started off the match looking quite assured. Colin Kinsella and Dylan Doerksen had the CSSC midfield ticking over like a metronome. However, the dominance in possession tended to be in areas that would not overly concern the Superbia back line. There was also little threat to stand in CSSC keeper Bob Walden's goal until a deep defensive give away caused a two on one. Despite Mark Hudson getting in a superb tackle, the ball bounced kindly to the other Superbia striker who slotted home from close range. CSSC leveled soon after with an excellent attack down the right. A cross from the marauding Van Penner was unselfishly dummied by Eli Robinson for up and coming actor Kamal Chioua whose well stuck low drive could only be parried into the path of Penner who rammed the rebound home. Tragically, equality was also short lived. Superbia's number 31 in the central midfield turned Ian Hudson and slid a delightful through ball to little number 7, who unfortunately possesses the highly desirable attributes of skill and speed that allowed him to split the CSSC defense and fire low across Walden and into the far corner.
The second half didn't get any better. That's not to say that CSSC didn't push. The second half started off with CSSC moving the ball around midfield in eye catching fashion, which resulted in long range testers from Robinson and Doerksen that were well struck but too close to the keeper. There were also a number of occasions on which the ball was bouncing around the Superbia box but the CSSC attackers were beaten to the ball by Superbia's deep lying defense. The two best chances fell to Chioua, who did manage to pounce on loose balls in very close, but both his efforts smacked right into the keeper's tummy. Then Superbia got two on the break. The first just squirmed over the line after CSSC turned the ball over off their own throw in deep in their zone, resulting in a cross to an unmarked winger. The second on a lightening counter when CSSC was pressing late. The Superbia forward turned a CSSC defender at center and raced off down the wing. Center back Brown was forced across the cover, leaving speedy number 14 all alone for the inch perfect cross and he made no mistake. To add injury to insult, reliable defender Andrew Woolford struggled off with a broken finger after a bit of push and shove with with a largish Superbia forward. In the NFL they would have just snapped that little fellow back in place, but in Manitoba rec soccer, it was off to emergency for xrays and a much needed splint.
Some managers will tell you the mark of a good team is that they can win while playing badly. What do you make of a team that looses when playing reasonably well? Some sections of the fan base are turning their earn season worries on management's refusal to sign top striker Kevin Dick who was linked to the team in the off season. Would Dick have scored on this hot, spring afternoon? Probably.
Man of the Match: CSSC's midfield looked pretty strong in a fluid passing, but non threatening sort of way. The threatening exception to this general rule was Van Penner who not only slotted in CSSCs only goal, but whose overall game was marked by strong tackling and intelligent runs. This, despite a desperate three hour drive in from Brandon to make the game. And he joined us for beers in John Loxley's cribs-worthy basement for a PVR'd reminder of what real tragedy looks like in the form of poor Karius in the Champions League final.
CSSC 1 - 3 Azzurri
In an effort to avoid a shocking number of Saturday afternoon games that would have ruined many a summer weekend for cottage country CSSC players, management agreed to play a few more games at Buhler Field. It seemed a good idea at the time, but as we forced our way through the hurricane strength winds onto the dust bowl of a pitch, it started to look like a bad mistake. To make matters worse, veteran defender Mark Meuwese abandoned the squad to take in the tight pants and billowy shirts at Stars on Ice.
Stand in captain Colin Kinsella took care of his main responsibility by winning the toss and placing CSSC backs to the howling wind. Predictably, it was one way traffic during the first half. The only break in the steady onslaught of CSSC attack was when the Azzurri keeper made his frequent and very slow trips to retrieve errant CSSC shots. Eli Robinson had a towering header clawed out from under the bar and a shanked clearance had clanked off the bar. On many other occasions the ball was bouncing around in the Azzurri area with the CSSC attackers not quite able to get the final touch. Then Eli picked up the ball 25 yards out and hammered a low screamer that squirmed under the keeper's desperate dive and just over the line. The lead didn't last long. On pretty much the only Azzurri break of the first half, they popped a ball in behind the CSSC back line for one of their quick outside mids to latch on to and he made no mistake, placing a careful drive inside the far post. 1 - 1 despite CSSC domination and against the wind in the second half.
It all seemed to be going very nicely. Chief Scout Rick Penner (pictured above) advised the squad to get the ball on the deck and they were doing a good job of passing and moving through the midfield. However, off a dubious foul out on the right, Azzurri swung in what looked like a fairly harmless ball but CSSC defenders let it bounce and bounce, right on to the foot of Azzurri number 21 who hammered an absolute screamer of a half volley in off the base of the far post. CSSC almost pulled one back immediately as Devin Doerksen went on a mazy dribble into the Azzurri box but couldn't quite poke it by the onrushing keeper. Then Eli Robinson was teed up on the penalty spot but his one time effort just skewed wide of the post. The game was salted away when Andrew Woolford has judged to be the offender in what impartial observers declared "six of one," and number 21 pounded a wind assisted free kick into the top corner. Despite CSSC throwing caution to the wind, and Bob Walden on as a third attacker, a comeback never really looked on the cards. Indeed, Azzurri almost gave the game an unfairly unflattering scoreline when a misplayed cross skimmed the bar. Not outplayed, but outscored.
Man of the Match: It was clearly the sharp shooting Azzurri 21 whose two goals were the difference. However, if we had to choose a CSSC player, Wazoo would have been a candidate. He seems to have found some teenage speed from somewhere and his close control game was working all night. However, MotM goes to Eli Robinson, not so much because of his goal, since that's what we expect of him, but for his excellent movement and hold up play up front. He turned down his MotM reward of a ticket to CSSC founder and thespian Pete Hudson's latest play, so he missed out on seeing retro CSSC jerseys under the lights (pictured below). I bet he's regretting that decision.
In an effort to avoid a shocking number of Saturday afternoon games that would have ruined many a summer weekend for cottage country CSSC players, management agreed to play a few more games at Buhler Field. It seemed a good idea at the time, but as we forced our way through the hurricane strength winds onto the dust bowl of a pitch, it started to look like a bad mistake. To make matters worse, veteran defender Mark Meuwese abandoned the squad to take in the tight pants and billowy shirts at Stars on Ice.
Stand in captain Colin Kinsella took care of his main responsibility by winning the toss and placing CSSC backs to the howling wind. Predictably, it was one way traffic during the first half. The only break in the steady onslaught of CSSC attack was when the Azzurri keeper made his frequent and very slow trips to retrieve errant CSSC shots. Eli Robinson had a towering header clawed out from under the bar and a shanked clearance had clanked off the bar. On many other occasions the ball was bouncing around in the Azzurri area with the CSSC attackers not quite able to get the final touch. Then Eli picked up the ball 25 yards out and hammered a low screamer that squirmed under the keeper's desperate dive and just over the line. The lead didn't last long. On pretty much the only Azzurri break of the first half, they popped a ball in behind the CSSC back line for one of their quick outside mids to latch on to and he made no mistake, placing a careful drive inside the far post. 1 - 1 despite CSSC domination and against the wind in the second half.
It all seemed to be going very nicely. Chief Scout Rick Penner (pictured above) advised the squad to get the ball on the deck and they were doing a good job of passing and moving through the midfield. However, off a dubious foul out on the right, Azzurri swung in what looked like a fairly harmless ball but CSSC defenders let it bounce and bounce, right on to the foot of Azzurri number 21 who hammered an absolute screamer of a half volley in off the base of the far post. CSSC almost pulled one back immediately as Devin Doerksen went on a mazy dribble into the Azzurri box but couldn't quite poke it by the onrushing keeper. Then Eli Robinson was teed up on the penalty spot but his one time effort just skewed wide of the post. The game was salted away when Andrew Woolford has judged to be the offender in what impartial observers declared "six of one," and number 21 pounded a wind assisted free kick into the top corner. Despite CSSC throwing caution to the wind, and Bob Walden on as a third attacker, a comeback never really looked on the cards. Indeed, Azzurri almost gave the game an unfairly unflattering scoreline when a misplayed cross skimmed the bar. Not outplayed, but outscored.
Man of the Match: It was clearly the sharp shooting Azzurri 21 whose two goals were the difference. However, if we had to choose a CSSC player, Wazoo would have been a candidate. He seems to have found some teenage speed from somewhere and his close control game was working all night. However, MotM goes to Eli Robinson, not so much because of his goal, since that's what we expect of him, but for his excellent movement and hold up play up front. He turned down his MotM reward of a ticket to CSSC founder and thespian Pete Hudson's latest play, so he missed out on seeing retro CSSC jerseys under the lights (pictured below). I bet he's regretting that decision.
CSSC 5 - 1 Polonia
Usually opening day for CSSC features new roster signings rummaging through the jersey bin for for their favorite number and introducing themselves to their strange team mates as they wander out on the field for the kick off. Not this year. In a move that is either pure genius or total folly, the in and outgoing player counter reads out - 1, in - 0. It was only Thursday evening that we were saying a tearful good bye to Matt Brett as he abandoned the revolution free prairies in favor of a city that hopefully has more use for a dedicated anarchist. As a result of opting for continuity over change, the CSSC players were all very familiar with their team mates and a sense of relaxed confidence should have oozed out of a squad well accustomed to each other. Or at least it would have if numerous cogs in the CSSC wheel were not delayed by short shopping, late flights, and chronic tardiness.
As a result a bit of a cobbled together starting 11 looked a bit sluggish off the mark. Polonia opened the scoring when the ref badly underestimated the length of Nial Harney's legs and awarded a very dubious free kick when Niall had clearly stretched to cleanly poke the ball away. The resulting free kick was struck true and clean, leaving heroic stand in keeper Bob Walden no chance. There was either a lot of time to come back or this was the beginning of a pounding. It was the former. Right after the goal the CSSC midfield started to assert itself. Charaf fed Dylan Doerksen racing down the right wing. He deftly cut inside his defender and slid a perfect cross goal pass to Nial Harney who drilled home from close range. A lightening quick counter to even the contest at the half.
CSSC's full bench overwhelmed Polonia's more limited subs in the second half. CSSC was being given (or earning depending on where you want credit to lie) space in the midfield and Jude DB, Matt L, Dylan, Devin, Colin and Niall were taking full advantage, spraying passes around like it was mid season. The second goal arrived in due course when Wazoo held off a couple of defenders and slid a square ball to Dylan, who took one touch and blasted the ball into the low corner from 25 yards. Just to prove this wasn't some one time, trick stunt, Dylan's next touch was a carbon copy, receiving a square ball from Harney, from whom management expects big things this year, and again pasted it into the same low corner. After that the floodgates opened. A lovely dead ball from Devin was cut back at the far post by Jude for Eli to slam home and then Eli was sent sprinting clear by Harney and he finished with the calm of an in form striker. There was still time for a wretched Polonia midfield to kick Jude hard and high to leave a six inch gauge out his upper thigh, Wazoo to have a goal wrongfully disallowed for offside, and Kamal to actually connect on a bicycle kick. Things were so comfortable that Wazoo was texting his friends and well wishers long before the final whistle.
Man of the Match: It was off to the Torque brewery for after game beers where eager CSSC shoppers snapped up the sweet booze themed merchandise. The assembled brain trust decided that both Matt Loxley's performance right from the airport and Van Penner's shut down play at the back despite oozing blood from a nasty gash on the knee made them real iron men. However, two goals, an assist and an all round dominating performance at center mid earned young Dylan Doerksen and his super styling Patrick Laine beard man of the match.
Usually opening day for CSSC features new roster signings rummaging through the jersey bin for for their favorite number and introducing themselves to their strange team mates as they wander out on the field for the kick off. Not this year. In a move that is either pure genius or total folly, the in and outgoing player counter reads out - 1, in - 0. It was only Thursday evening that we were saying a tearful good bye to Matt Brett as he abandoned the revolution free prairies in favor of a city that hopefully has more use for a dedicated anarchist. As a result of opting for continuity over change, the CSSC players were all very familiar with their team mates and a sense of relaxed confidence should have oozed out of a squad well accustomed to each other. Or at least it would have if numerous cogs in the CSSC wheel were not delayed by short shopping, late flights, and chronic tardiness.
As a result a bit of a cobbled together starting 11 looked a bit sluggish off the mark. Polonia opened the scoring when the ref badly underestimated the length of Nial Harney's legs and awarded a very dubious free kick when Niall had clearly stretched to cleanly poke the ball away. The resulting free kick was struck true and clean, leaving heroic stand in keeper Bob Walden no chance. There was either a lot of time to come back or this was the beginning of a pounding. It was the former. Right after the goal the CSSC midfield started to assert itself. Charaf fed Dylan Doerksen racing down the right wing. He deftly cut inside his defender and slid a perfect cross goal pass to Nial Harney who drilled home from close range. A lightening quick counter to even the contest at the half.
CSSC's full bench overwhelmed Polonia's more limited subs in the second half. CSSC was being given (or earning depending on where you want credit to lie) space in the midfield and Jude DB, Matt L, Dylan, Devin, Colin and Niall were taking full advantage, spraying passes around like it was mid season. The second goal arrived in due course when Wazoo held off a couple of defenders and slid a square ball to Dylan, who took one touch and blasted the ball into the low corner from 25 yards. Just to prove this wasn't some one time, trick stunt, Dylan's next touch was a carbon copy, receiving a square ball from Harney, from whom management expects big things this year, and again pasted it into the same low corner. After that the floodgates opened. A lovely dead ball from Devin was cut back at the far post by Jude for Eli to slam home and then Eli was sent sprinting clear by Harney and he finished with the calm of an in form striker. There was still time for a wretched Polonia midfield to kick Jude hard and high to leave a six inch gauge out his upper thigh, Wazoo to have a goal wrongfully disallowed for offside, and Kamal to actually connect on a bicycle kick. Things were so comfortable that Wazoo was texting his friends and well wishers long before the final whistle.
Man of the Match: It was off to the Torque brewery for after game beers where eager CSSC shoppers snapped up the sweet booze themed merchandise. The assembled brain trust decided that both Matt Loxley's performance right from the airport and Van Penner's shut down play at the back despite oozing blood from a nasty gash on the knee made them real iron men. However, two goals, an assist and an all round dominating performance at center mid earned young Dylan Doerksen and his super styling Patrick Laine beard man of the match.