YukonInfo.com brings the fizz

Parking spots and front row seats were a hot commodity last Saturday morning as the hockey tournament shared top billing with the Rapids Over-35’s soccer pantheon.

The early game saw Pepsi take on YukonInfo.com. The Orangemen looked like they’d come to play and were very industrious in every aspect of the game. They eased to a three-goal lead with some fine interplay and tasty finishing, JP Ladroue, Jim Brown and George Maratos snaffling the goals!

The margin could have been much more, if not for Thomas Riexinger’s fine goal-keeping for Pepsi, making a string of quality saves.

The second half started in much the same way, although YukonInfo.com squandered a number of generous chances and the crowd sensed the tide was changing.

Pepsi was showing signs of dominance, and after a few half-chances, Danny McDonald slotted home for Pepsi making it 3-1 and with that, the game was on.

Then, in quick succession, Oscar Pachecho added a tidy goal to make it 4-1, and McDonald again came back to make it 4-2 from almost the next play. As the clock ran down, YukonInfo.com were pegged back and clinging on – a huge testament to Pepsi’s drive and determination; but there were no more goals, and the game ended 4-2 for YukonInfo.com.

A Tale of Two Keepers

The late game was a top of the table affair with high-flying Klondike Business Solutions taking on league-leaders Yukon Brewing.

The early exchanges looked like this was going to be a close encounter, but then things went a bit off-script.

First KBS sub-keeper Jaan Aalt van den Hoorn found himself in unfamiliar territory in the opposition half, and as the play opened up in front of him, he let fly and drilled home a scorcher from the white line.

Buoyed by that opener, KBS looked hungry for more and when Franklin Fru made it 2-0, lobbing Stephen Doyle, who had come out of his box to challenge for the ball; it was looking like this could be their day.

Then, against the odds, van den Hoorn found himself out of position and watched on as Guliano Rayo scored into the vacant net. KBS steadied themselves after that sucker punch and restored the two-goal lead when Iain Breckenridge, leaping like the proverbial salmon (or was it Duncan Ferguson?) scored with a sumptuous header.

The crowd was just asking themselves if there was going to be any more twists in the half when a raking end to end cross-field pass found an unmarked Rayo, who skillfully headed home from a wide angle.

The second half was filled with vim and vigour, but neither team looked like scoring. When Shawn Fearon narrowly missed for Brewing, it seemed like KBS were going to sneak the points.

In the dying seconds, Doyle gave up a free kick and that should have been the game, but when KBS lost the ball, Brewing had one last chance. Could they do it?

They clearly thought so, and all six Brewing players swarmed into the KBS half looking for their chance!

And then it came … time stood still, the CGC held its breath and Doyle, normally the Brewers’ saviour with the gloves, thumped it home from outside the box! It ended 3-3, and was quite the game!

Next week, KBS take on YukonInfo.com in the early game and Pepsi takes on Driving Force in the late game.

Submitted by Jim Brown