Men and women were back on the pitch last weekend after six weeks off, and not quite up to game speed, waddling a bit like Christmas turkeys. In the men's league, Gibsons Pigs were finally made to concede a point, as up-and-coming Halfmoon Bay tied them 1-1.
Neither team had home field advantage as the game was played at Hackett Park, which was slippery and wet, especially inside the 18-yard box. HMB's Jeff Wadge wasted no time in opening the scoring, running the ball down the left wing and from 20 yards ripping a ball that caught the inside of the short post. Pigs were down a man for the first 30 minutes.
In the second half, Pigs were awarded a kick just outside the penalty area, and Ken Campbell stepped up to give the ball a signature hammering and tie the game, keeping the Pigs undefeated.
Coast Progressive United won 6-1 in their match with the Xenichen Wolves, who were missing key starters, but had a few new players working themselves into the roster. CPU got four from Dean Totten and two from Dave Rogers. On one play, seeing his forwards offside, Totten was forced to dribble in himself and score. For the Wolves, always-dangerous Eddie Paul took a ball from Corey August to let go a quick blast into the top of the net.
Kevin August returned to the Chiefs lineup with a bang, or rather a rat-a-tat-tat, as he scored all four goals in the Chiefs 4-2 win over Gibsons United.
Chiefs were sporting their new AC Milan kit, but weren't content to sit back on a lead.
For United the goals came from Tony 'Fancy Pants' Duffy and Neville Judd.
The IGA Selects picked up a couple of new international acquisitions this year, and edged Pender 2-1. Rich Massullo banged the net for the Bananas, and Selects' strikes came from Mexican addition Armondo Rodriguez.
In women's play, Xenichen Ya Yas weren't very hospitable to Fusion's new keeper at Ted Dixon, in their 4-0 win. Christina Joe and Machon August scored, and late in the game, Arlene Dixon sent in a 30-yarder over the head of Linda Coady sneaking off her line. The game might have reached double digits if not for Coady's stellar goalkeeping.
CALs Crushers got their groove back, along with returning midfielder Jenna Crozier, in their 4-0 win over the Pigs.
CALs' goals came from Crozier, fullback Teresa Fournier with her first goal, Sara Schutz and Shannon Reid.
The rain and wind at Brothers Park seemed a fitting backdrop for a match between Halfmoon Bay Wild and Marshall Mayhem.
Mayhem took the game 8-2, with Mayhem's strikes from Laura Ewert, Brooke Whalen with two and Trina Geisbrecht with four. For the Wild, it was Melissa Vaughn on a penalty kick and Tanzie Williams.
