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Cowichan Red Arrow defeats shorthanded SPL FC

James McBride’s hat trick propels Div. 4 soccer team to victory
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Matthew Archambault, one of Cowichan Red Arrow’s five goal-scorers in a 7-1 win over SPL FC on Saturday, races an opposing player to the ball during a recent home game at the Sherman Road turf. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

In a tight battle for first place in their pool in Div. 4 of the Vancouver Island Soccer League on Saturday, Cowichan Red Arrow couldn’t give much quarter to a Sunday Pickup League FC team that showed up to Finlayson Turf with just 10 players.

Cowichan went into the weekend tied with Castaways Invicta in points, but Castaways hold a game in hand and the other potential tiebreakers, so Red Arrow had no choice but to play their best against SPL FC, who sit last in pool B, and when the dust settled, Cowichan prevailed 7-1.

Red Arrow got off to a fast start, scoring early off a give-and-go, started and finished by Jonas Golf-Myers, with Brandon Tolfo taking the ball in between. The same players nearly completed the same play again in the reverse order a few minutes later, but just before he scored, Tolfo was levelled by SPL’s largest defender. Cowichan’s leading scorer was sent to the sidelines and is expected to miss the team’s next match as well.

Cowichan continued to attack up the middle of the SPL defence, taking a 2-0 lead when Shermag Joseph beat the keeper to the ball, dipsy-doodling, in the words of head coach Will Chaster, around him to walk the ball in.

Matthew Archambault scored late in the first half before James McBride went on a tear, recording a natural hat trick, all from the top of the box, topped off with a free kick that sailed over the wall before beating the keeper. Paris Holland scored Cowichan’s seventh goal late in the second half.

“All in all it was a good result for us,” Chaster said. “And the team worked in main of the tactics we are learning.”

Red Arrow will play at home this coming Saturday, hosting Lakehill Hooligans at the Sherman Road turf at 4 p.m.



Kevin Rothbauer

About the Author: Kevin Rothbauer

Kevin Rothbauer is the sports reporter for the Cowichan Valley Citizen
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