BY GEORGE MACVICAR
The Southern Gazette
The past weekend in provincial Challenge Cup men’s soccer saw the withdrawal, or default, from competition of Corner Brook Western United.
The last place team identified in an e-mail to the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association an inability to any longer field a team during the rest of the season. It was emphasized the team is sound financially, but a lack of commitment from players combined with injuries resulted in the pullout.
The St. Lawrence Laurentians took to the pitch on the Avalon and captured two victories to pull within five points of league leaders Holy Cross.
Shane Etchegary posted the shutout as the Laurentians blanked the CB Strikers 3-0. Brent Kelly had two goals and Mike Howlett his league leading 19th tally. St. Lawrence also claimed a 3-1 victory over St. John’s Feildians. Kelly, Howlett and Ryan Slaney scored for the winners.
Holy Cross was credited with a victory in a forfeited game by Western United. Mount Pearl was awarded a similar victory with United’s forfeiture.
St. Lawrence Laurentians and Mount Pearl are in a two-way race for second spot in the overall team standings in the provincial Molson Men’s Challenge Cup Soccer League.
Both teams emerged from weekend play, after being 41 points, as St. Lawrence moved three points ahead after the Laurentians’ two victories.
A distant fourth was Feildians with 27 points, good enough for the final playoff position.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, the CB Strikers will host Mount Pearl in the mid-week game.
The final match-ups of the regular season this upcoming weekend will see the Laurentians playing Holy Cross and Mount Pearl in two key matches for placings in the team standings. The Feildians will also take to the pitch against Mount Pearl and Holy Cross to round out the season.
The Burin Peninsula Soccer Association will be hosting this year’s provincial Challenge Cup championship at the St. Lawrence Centennial Field Sept. 3-5.
Game 1 Friday at 2 p.m. will feature the first and second place squads with the third and fourth place teams meeting at 5 p.m.
Saturday at 3 p.m. the Loser of Game 1 meets the Winner of Game 2 and Sunday, at 3:30 p.m., the Winner of Game 1, with a bye to the final, will take on the Winner of Game 3.
Challenge Cup All-Star Team and Individual Award Winners will be announced prior to the championship game kick off.
PROVINCIAL CHALLENGE CUP MEN’S SOCCER
Team Standings to Aug. 23
TEAM GP W L T GF GA PTS
Holy Cross 21 16 1 4 61 15 52
St. Lawrence 21 15 4 2 61 18 47
Mount Pearl 20 13 2 5 46 13 44
Feildians 21 8 10 3 43 39 27
CB Auto Strikers 22 4 15 3 20 60 15
Western United 21 3 17 1 20 70 10
St. John’s U-18s 18 4 12 2 25 55 14
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