The race for first place in the North Okanagan Soccer League didn’t get any clearer Wednesday night with heavyweights Turn-Key and North Enderby Timber playing to an entertaining 2-2 draw at Greater Vernon Athletics Park.
The Timber, who entered the game three points up on Turn-Key, having played an extra game, opened the scoring at 20 minutes on a penalty shot by Lucas Ross. Brent Poulsen was pulled down insde the 18 to draw the PK.
Shortly after, Kyle Halvorson stunned the Turn-Key crew with a quick addition after some fancy footwork in the box and a great looping finish. Graham Ross pocketed the assist.
In the TSN Turning Point, a tackle by NET’s Menno Burnet was ruled a red card, and Turn-Key looked to move quickly and almost got on the board when Nathan Tucker found a streaking Kanwar Pandhar down the wing, but he struck the post.
NET keeper Victor Gouchee again used his powers as Lendrit Ademi curled a free kick around the Timber wall that also found the post.
Using the extra man to their advantage, the Controllers were rewarded when Ademi stepped up for another free kick and this time had just enough curl as he froze Gouchee. It was 2-1 NET at the break.
The second half saw a 10-man Timber launch a staunch defence of the lead, and a magical give-and-go from Fabrice Fanfani and Andrew Pool led to Pool converting the equalizer.
Ross earned the Simplyfrugal.ca Man of the Match for NET (12-1-2). Turn-Key is 11-1-2.
Clark Richardson pulled the hat trick as Peters Tirecraft grounded Monashee Surveying FC 4-0 at Marshall Field.
The roadrunner scored his first two on breakaways after super feeds by Brock Reim.
Zach Anderson went short side after running down the left flank with some sweet build-up by Liam Semeniuk and Ahman Singh.
Richardson completed the hat trick with a 35-yard corker which landed top cheddar. He took the shot after his teammates all attacked and drew defenders, leaving Richardson unmarked.
Peter Kaz earned the clean sheet as Tirecraft improved to 4-10-1.
In games next Wednesday, Monashee takes on the Salmon Arm Outlaws, whle the Timber face Salmon Arm Courvas, both at MacDonald Park. Both games feature 7 p.m. kick-offs.
Tirecraft goes up against the Revelstoke Stallions in Salmon Arm. Game time is 7 p.m.
Ogopogos win 4-2
Turn-Key Controllers Ogopogos surprised Brandt’s Creek Pub 4-2 in Capri Insurance Men’s 45+ Soccer League play Monday night in Rutland.
Ruben Cervantes put the 5-9 Pogos up early with help from Roland Riedstra.
Keeper Mike Moorlag made an outstanding save off of a Pubber breakaway, jumping up and pushing the ball out of bounds.
Chris Arnason booted a shot from the center line to make it 2-0 Turn-Key. Shortly after Brandt’s Creek (8-6-1) countered.
The Kelowna side levelled the score early in the second half before Henry Czerwonka stripped the ball from a defender and deftly fed Riedstra for an easy winning goal.
Bryan Schenker added insurance off a long pass from Moorlag. Longhorn Man of The Match for Turn-Key was Dan Ondzik.
The Okanagan Spring Brewery Camels stayed in the mix by shutting down last-place Pushor Mitchell Rented Mules 5-0 at Marshall Field #1.
Super striker Johnny Orton reached the 20-goal mark with a hat trick as the Humpbacks improved to 8-5-2, good for sole possession of fourth spot.
Ron Krause subbed in net and made a stellar breakaway save in the first half and a few others later, for the shutout.
Outside midfielder Rick Raber drained a 25-yard corker top cheddar at 25 minutes for the halftime lead.
Orton made it 2-0 in the 55th minute, from Raber, and upped the margin at 70 minutes, on a semi breakaway pass from Rob Hulstein.
The Mules played with 10 men the final 20 minutes due to injury and Orton completed his hatty at 75 minutes, taking a feed from Steve Milne and making a sweet turn.
Marty Steele finished the offence with two minutes remaining, on a breakaway pass by Orton, named the Rocky Mountain Transport Man of the Match.
Roger Russell bagged a deuce as RPM Automotive bounced Bosman Accounting 6-3 at Beasley Park in Lake Country.
Sean Harrison, Jozef Kimpian, Dave Newman and Doug Roth added singles as RPM went to 6-5-2. It was 3-3 early in the second half.
Paul McCardle registered a deuce to take the Liverpool 7-Eleven Man of the Match for Bosman, once on a beauty header off a cross by Rolf Hisrchkorn, and one on a 15-yard scorcher.
Mark Sladen had the other snipe for Bosman (3-8-3) with a nice run down the right flank after a pass by McCardle.
RPM earned an own goal off a corner in the third minute of play.
Brown Benefits picked up their 14th win of the season with an 8-2 victory over Soccer United at Parkinson Field #16.
Steve Fagan got the Browns out to an early lead with two quick goals in the opening minutes, but United (3-7-4) replied with a goal by Chang Lee.
That seemed to spur the league-leading Browns on as they picked up two more goals before the half through Tony Gonzales and Lionel Hoffman.
After the break, and a strong chastising by manager Scott Sieben, the Browns continued to apply pressure to the plucky United lads and were rewarded with goals from Gonzales, Gord Brown, Matt Cherille and Darryl Hazell.