Friendly: Westside FC B 1 – 3 YFC
Yaletown Football Club played a proper friendly against Westside FC’s U-21 side over at Warren Field (UBC). New players joined returning vets and the old guard to form a fairly new look side who showed just how new look they felt with one another in the first half.
The match kicked off with Westside showing their superior pace, giving the YFC midfield and defence a taste of what the next 90 minutes were going to be like… not pretty. The two central players for Westside controlled the ball extremely well, moving it around excellently to their wingers and forwards who in turn barely ever took more than two touches. YFC had a hard time with this and were it not for some heroic goal keeping from Brad Bodenhammer and equally destructive work at the back from Arnie Emmerson, it could’ve been 4-0 at the half. A ragged YFC closed out the half 0-0, hanging onto the match by their fingernails. The first half wasn’t without highlights, particularly a frame by frame replica of Nigel de Jong’s ninja kick to Xabi Alonso’s chest by a YFC player who shall remain nameless, this one did less damage thankfully.
After a stern talking to by our center back tank and fitness guru, Arnie Emmerson, Yaletown stepped it up, played more calmly and kept the ball a bit more. Finally winning some 50/50 challenges and getting their head onto clearances from the back. The boys eventually worked their way up the pitch and scored 3 excellent goals. Oleg Benesch first banged one into the top right corner from within 18 yards, Adam Jennings burst through on a typical mazy run which culminated in a dazzling drive just under the crossbar from around the 18 and Pierce Joneson’s cross was met by new signing Chris Bland. Westside got one back through their best player, after he dribbled 4 players and slotted home. But the damage was done, YFC with the win and much needed experience playing together. Not many sides in VMSL Div 2 will have the speed, technique and passing ability Westside had, the only thing that let them down was their abysmal finishing and our excellent goal keeping.