WSSA

Three in a row - Wolfpac shutout Kimichi and set focus on Three Lions FC...

Starfire Sports Facility, Sunday April 20^th, 5 PM
Match photos

After splitting points with FC Pacific in week two, Kimichi came looking for its first win of the Spring SPSL season this week versus Wolfpac. In the other week two games Three Lions FC thumped FC Old Stars while the Eagles made a mess of the Seattle Sangam FC.

After the captains meeting there was three minutes to kick off and Wolfpac unfortunately had no subs and defender Nate Reid in goal. Luckily the game would become favorable for Wolfpac quickly after the opening whistle.

Wolfpac took the spirited and energetic Kimichi side off guard just five minutes in, when a set of accurate passes up the middle ended with Tyson Lashbrook splitting the Kimichi defense with his pass which perfectly led Gonzales at goal. Gonzales wasted little time in placing the ball into the top right corner.

Four minutes later Wolfpac struck again when Merrifield sent in a low cross from his attacking right-sideline position. The heavy pass reached across the goal box were Gonzales let it split his feet to Smith, who was waiting unmarked just a couple yards behind. Smith took a touch to trap then fired low and right, into the back netting.

Kimichi gained composure and settled in for a long hard fought first half but struggled to find a threatening shot on goal. Reid, untested in goal, soon moved out to join his familiar and sturdy defensive wall that is Neal, Stilley and Boyett.

Boyett and Mills were standouts in the middle versus Kimichi and helped maintain possession throughout the half and continued the hustle into the second half where the score remained 2-0 for 61 minutes.

As a team Wolfpac helped maintain the shutout when a barrage of shots came from Kimichi in a five minute span. All shots however were turned away by the defense with support from the midfield, before ever reaching goal.

In the 70^th minute Merrifield broke the scoreless action when he dribbled in past Kimichi defenders to get a shot in on the near post. The shot looked to be saved but then proved to be too powerful, or just mishandled as the Kimichi goalkeeper let it slip by.

Kimichi had what might have been its best chance on the evening when a foul just outside the penalty box setup and ideal free kick opportunity. The free kick curled up and over the four-man Wolfpac wall but sailed a foot high over the crossbar and right post.

Wolfpac had many opportunities of their own in the second half but unlike last week, failed to convert. A Lashbrook banger off the top right V, a rocket launched by Smith’s left that was tipped clear, and a few one-on-ones that Gonzales was late to pull the trigger on could have made this a very lopsided ball-game.

After three weeks of SPSL division 3 play two teams remain undefeated. Wolfpac at 3-0-0, averaging 8 goals for and .667 goals against will face Three Lions FC, also 3-0-0, averaging 6 goals for and 2.33 against per game.