After a tough loss to first-place Penticton Pinnacles last week, Vernon Kal Tire looked to super striker Jesse Knight for a spark Thursday night at MacDonald Park.
Knight pulled the hat trick as the Tiremen brushed back second-place Enco/Executive Flooring 4-2 in Kelowna Tree Brewing Men’s 35+ Soccer League play.
Enco (5-2-1) struck first on a misplayed ball by central defender Damian Adams.
That snipe only seemed to ignite the Tiremen as Ryan Sharp found Knight who just had to touch it in. The second goal from Kal Tire resulted when Rodney Goodchild used a little Okanagan Springs to get past a defender and chip it over the Enco keeper.
In the second half, Darren Nobrega came out flying, intercepting the Enco kickoff and feeding Knight, who just had to poke it past the keeper.
Midway through the half, Geoff Straight found Knight streaking along the centre line and breaking past the defence to stay onside for the breakaway.
Knight went around the keeper and completed his hat trick as Kal Tire improved to 3-4.
Enco responded with a goal in the last 15 minutes. The game saw a few yellow cards in the spirit of competition.
Peters Tirecraft shut down the Salmon Arm Outlaws 2-0 at MacDonald Park.
Mike Conlin made a great deke in the box and then went top shelf, short side, and Brock Reim converted on a penalty shot. Peter Kaz recorded the shutout as Tirecraft went to 2-3. The Outlaws are 0-5.
Meanwhile Turn-Key Controls extended their North Okanagan Soccer League win streak to five games with a 4-1 win over host Courvas of Salmon Arm Wednesday night.
Nolan’s Pharmasave Man of the Match Lendrit Ademi continued his torrid scoring pace, connecting in the opening 30 seconds for the second time this season when he picked off an errant pass and calmly blasted in off the crossbar.
Ademi didn’t take much longer to score his second of the night, finishing on a passing play that saw five different players consecutively touch the ball before Ademi slotted it home.
Courvas answered off a set piece from just outside the 18, making it 2-1 Turn-Key at the break.
Andrew Pool and Ademi showed some great chemistry up front and Ademi was again involved when he blasted a shot off the post where a hustling Kanwar Pandher was there to corral the rebound and deposit past the Courvas keeper.
Not to be denied by the post, Ademi counted his second hat trick of the season. Turn-Key is 5-0, Courvas 3-3.
Peters Tirecraft shut down the Salmon Arm Outlaws 2-0 at MacDonald Park.
Monashee Surveying FC brushed off the Revelstoke Stallions 2-0 in Salmon Arm. No goal scorers were reported.
In Capri Insurance Men’s 45+ League play Monday night, the Okanagan Spring Brewery Camels tangle with the Brandt’s Creek Pub, while Turn-Key Controls face the Cantinas Pub, both 7 p.m. starts at Marshall Field.