Bosman Accounting are making a serious bid to finish top-eight for the first time in their 10-year history.
The Vernon bean counters held off Soccer United 3-2 Monday night in Capri Insurance Men’s 45+ Soccer League play at Marshall Field #4.
Bosman improved to 5-5-1, two points back of the sixth-place United (6-5). The league will split into two divisions after next week’s play.
Gerard Geelkerken, David Howes and John Matjicka, with the winner, near the 85th minute, handled the Bosman offence in front of a stellar Yogi Kongsdorf.
Mike Bertoia tallied his 12th and 13th goals of the season for Soccer United, who had enough chances to earn a solid first-half lead. Kongsdorf stopped a breakaway in the fifth minute and Bosman defender Mike Grace saved two sure goals off the line.
Soccer United levelled the score at 2-2 early in the second half but then lost Dave Notte with his second yellow card.
Penticton TC United dispatched Turn-Key Controls Ogopogos 4-2 in a second-place showdown at Parkinson Field #16 in Kelowna.
Turn-Key (8-2) opened the scoring in the second minute off a sweet finish by Bryan Schenker, his 13th of the year.
Penticton (10-1) replied within 10 minutes on a nice play by Mauricio Cepeda, who made it 2-1 before the half.
Play was even until late in the first half when Turn-Key lost key defender Jason Beck with a hamstring injury.
The second half saw Penticton play with purpose and get two goals from Jon Padgett, his second off a penalty kick, awarded after a foul on Cepeda. Penticton went into cruise control but a fabulous breakaway save from Norm Peter help preserved the lead before Mike Adams countered late for the Pogos.
Steve Fitzpatrick and Rick Danyluk were rock stars on the Turn-Key back line with no subs available.
The Okanagan Spring Brewery Camels and Real JVL ran to a 1-1 draw at Marshall #5.
JVL (0-9-2) took the lead at 30 minutes on a 20-yard screamer roof daddy, while the Humpbacks (1-7-2) answered five minutes later when Johnny Orton converted on a 2-on-0 with Ryan Meise.
Orton went bar down but not in, then was robbed on the rebound by a fabulous diving save by Jay Christensen in the second half. Central fullback Mark Budgen was the Camels’ Home Depot Man of the Match.
League-leading Brown Benefits were given a tough test by Tree Brewing but pulled out a 4-2 win at Mission 10 Sportsfields.
Jim Kruiper opened the scoring after a nifty give-and-go between Brad Hauser and Steve Fagan broke through the defence. Trevor Lutes banged in a loose ball during a fray to double the lead.
Don Brown pounced on a rebound to fire a shot into the bottom corner to make it 3-0 just before halftime.
After the break, Kelly Sherman took a through ball, beat the last defender and put a great shot into the top corner to make it 4-0. However, Tree Brewing (7-3-1) battled back as Chris Purnell broke around the outside of the 11-0 Browns’ defence and fired a low shot into the net. Steve Cox followed with an excellent shot that found the top corner
Browns’ keeper Gord Regan and Tree keeper David Gadd both made some great saves after Cox connected.
Brandt’s Pub took home the spoils with a business-like 2-0 win over the Pushor Mitchell Rented Mules at Parkinson #9.
Patrick Groening opened the scoring off a header with five minutes to go before the orange-slice interval.
The second half was much like the first, Brandt’s on the front foot, the Mules working hard defensively. Skipper Glen McCrae doubled the score, also off of a header to complete the scoring. Wayne Logan registered the shutout. The Pubbers went to 5-5-1, tied for seventh spot with Bosman.
RPM Automotive brushed back Mind Smart 4-2 at Mission #12.
RPM (3-6-2) enjoyed lots of chances to score from the top of the box but were not taking the shots when available. They eventually managed to find a bit of a scuffed shot by Claudio Dibiase that fooled the Smart back-up keeper who was screened. Roger Russell made it 2-0 at the half with a 30-yard free kick to the top corner.
RPM had lots of subs and started to wear down the short-manned Smart in the early second half. They went up 3-0 early on Mark Hesketh’s goal, but then the Smart started to exert some pressure of their own when they decided there was nothing to lose. Goals from Mark Stokes and Doug Nichols off beautiful corners by Isaak Michaeli saved some face for the 4-7 Smart. RPM also managed another by Doug Roth on a long breakaway.