Vernon Kal Tire snapped a nine-game winless skid with a 3-2 victory over Kelowna #1 in Okanagan Oldtimers 50+ Soccer League action Thursday night at Marshall Field #3.
Midfielder Jim Sparrow, who ran miles for 80 minutes to earn the Wilms Electric Man of the Match, scored the winner on a wind-aided 30-yard corker from the right corner flag area.
Sparrow threw the ball into Kevin Mitchell, who one-touched it back to Sparrow, who cracked the ball high, right corner past a startled keeper, with 14 minutes left.
Joe Jamieson picked off a clearance pass and beat Gord Campbell with a 20-yard rocket, giving Kelowna an early 1-0 lead.
Midfielder Denis Chabot took a feed from Ted Sheehan and deked the keeper before tapping in a low shot to pull the 6-8-2 Tiremen even 15 minutes later.
Mark DeVolder, using a strong wind, floated a long shot over the Kelowna keeper after taking a feed from Jenne Huberts, to make it 2-1 Kal Tire at the break. John Pratch then parachuted a high shot into the wind and off the far post, to equalize.
In other play, the Vernon Stars got two goals from Dave Gould in a 5-1 win over host Lake Country at Rieswig Park.
Dick Markin made a stellar run and then slotted the ball home for the first Vernon goal. Keeper-turned winger Ray Tims put the Stars up 2-1 when he stabbed a solid, low cross into the net. Gould scored his first after a long deep corner was headed back into the 18 where Gould nodded it in.
Mike Siemens sent in a cross which cleared the defence and the tall Lake Country keeper for Bob Oldfield to score with a beautiful diving header. Gould scored his second with a 25-yard drive into the roof of the net. The Stars are 10-4-2.