Second-place Turn-Key Controls showed some serious rust in a 2-2 tie with the last-place Shuswap Outlaws in North Okanagan Soccer League play Wednesday night in Salmon Arm.
Turn-Key, who had two straight games cancelled after their bye week, struggled all night to get in sync as the Outlaws picked up their first ever points against Turn-Key.
The Controllers opened the scoring early when Andrew Pool took a through ball from Evan Moore and cooly slotted a low shot into the bottom, right corner.
Turn-Key had numerous chances in the first half and spent the strong majority of the 90 minutes in the Outlaws’ half. The Outlaws defended well and were rewarded when they scored on their only chance of the half when a free kick outside the 18 found the head of an Outlaw striker.
Defender Greg Finch opened the scoring early in the second half with a well-placed lob over the keeper.
Turn-Key was unable to hold the lead for long as the Outlaws levelled the score on a penalty shot midway through the half.
The goal seemed to wake up Turn-Key, who spent the entire rest of the half in the Outlaw zone with numerous chance.
Turn-Key failed to finish, twice having the ball cleared off the goal-line by defenders in the dying minutes.
The league-leading North Enderby Timber moved three points in front of Turn-Key by grounding the Revelstoke Stallions 8-2 at Salmon Arm Savings Credit Union Sportsfield.
Patrick Schindler opened the NET scoring with a hammering volley from an Adam Marwood cross in the 15th minute. Brent Poulsen put the Timber ahead by a deuce after some hard, gritty work from farm boy Evan Frederick.
Frederick stole the ball from a defender and then sent in Poulsen, who chipped the charging keeper. Lucas Ross scored the eventual winner on a 20-yard rocket to the bottom corner.
The Timber (10-1-1) kept rolling in the second half with defender Devin Laughren playing a perfect cross to the head of veteran Brodie Couch, who had no problem finding the mesh.
Finlay McPhie, Ross and Poulsen finished with some clinical passing adding four more in the second half, each finishing the night with two goals.
Ross Macdonald earned the lone yellow card, showing his three kids how high he can kick the ball when he gets frustrated.
The Stallions (5-5-1) added two late goals to break the shutout. Victor Gouchee earned the win making several key saves.
Salmon Arm Courvas used a late penalty kick to brush back Peters Tirecraft 2-1 at Marshall Field #4.
Courvas (4-4-3) went ahead midway through the first half on a long breakaway after a Tirecraft slipped and fell.
Brock Reim buried a penalty kick low, left side for the equalizer just before the recess. The PK was awarded after striker Andy Collins, who ran miles all night, was knocked down on a header challenge.
Courvas converted a PK near the 77th minute after Kyle Richardson was called for a tackle inside the 18. Tirecraft argued the call to no avail.
Collins and gritty centre midfielder Zach Anderson shared the Red Robin Man of the Match for Tirecraft (3-8-1).