Powell River Villa defeated Gorge FC by a 2-0 score in the club’s last game of the 2021/2022 Vancouver Island Soccer League season at Timberlane Park on March 19.
“We’re just ecstatic with the result, and overwhelmed with the players’ level of commitment and understanding of how we need to play,” said Tony Leach, Villa’s coach. “It was a fantastic way to end what has been a season of growth for Villa, and it bodes well for next season.”
Gorge came out strong to start the game, but after about 10 minutes, Villa found its groove and went on to control the play for the remainder of the match.
“Defensively, we were very strong, and didn’t give them much to work with in our end,” said Chris McDonough, Villa’s manager. “Chico [Richard Murphy] had a fantastic game on defence; he managed to dominate our end of the field, together with Nick [Van’t Schip] and Grant [Campbell], and Gorge couldn’t get anything going. Matt [Liknes] had a great game in goal, making a huge save in the second half to preserve the shutout.”
James Timothy scored both of Villa’s goals, one at 41 minutes in the first half, and the second at 48 minutes in the second half.
“Both goals had a similar set up,” said Timothy. “We made a push into their end, and the defender bobbled the ball, put it right to me, and I put it in the net, bottom corner for the first goal and top left for the second. It was perfect.”
Leach and McDonough praised Timothy for his performance during the game, as well as other midfielders and forwards.
“Niko [Cristante] and Kaizan [Hajdrych] were winning balls all over the midfield,” said Leach. “Jack Padgett also had a strong game. He’s been working hard on his skills, and it was great to see him step up and give the opposition so much trouble. Overall, we played the ball well, we were smart with the ball, we defended the ball well, and we got all our subs in. It was a great game.”
The win left Villa with 18 points in the standings, one point behind Juan de Fuca All Flows, and while technically in the relegation zone, the team received word this week that it will play in Division 1 again next season.
“We’re thrilled to stay in Division 1,” said McDonough. “We improved week by week over the season, and we’ll have an opportunity next year to keep improving. We have great chemistry and culture in the club, and everyone is focused on what we want to do. That’s good for the future of Villa.”
Local fans have one more opportunity to see Villa play before the team breaks for the summer, as the rescheduled Steve Steele Memorial Boxing Day game will take place on Saturday, March 26, at Timberlane Park. Villa will take on Stevie’s Steelers, a team made up of veteran players from around the qathet region.
“It’s going to be a great day, and a great opportunity to raise funds for the food bank and Salvation Army,” said organizer Steve Robertson. “We have a ton of door prizes, there will be a concession, and we’re looking forward to a fun soccer game. We hope to see a lot of fans out for a great day honouring soccer in Powell River.”
The official program begins at 1:15 pm with a ceremony to thank Paul Liknes and Jim Veenhof for their contributions to the sport, and kickoff takes place at 1:30 pm. Entry is by donation, with a recommended donation of $5 per person.
