The Squamish FC U-18 boy's team continued its run at the league lead for the 4 District's Gold Division with a 2-1 victory over Dunbar on Saturday (Jan. 23) at UBC.
A determined Dunbar squad came out strong, wanting to avenge themselves after receiving a Squamish shelling early in the season. However, centre backs Alec McRae and Harrison Shrimpton very effectively shut down several scoring attempts in the first 30 minutes.
At the other end of the field, a couple of brilliant solo efforts by striker Chad Pereira finally gave Squamish FC a chance at getting on the score sheet.
After being hauled down just outside the penalty area in the 32nd minute, Pereira threaded the free kick hard through the opposition's wall and past the sprawling Dunbar keeper.
Will Robson showed his dominance in the midfield by frequently stripping the ball from opposing players and laying down crisp passes to his teammates.
Dunbar held up though, and refused to give away an insurance goal despite the continuing efforts of Pereira and fellow striker Hans Schranz, the latter having recorded five points in his last two games.
In the 69th minute, Connor Russell sent an exquisitely timed through ball to Robson, who charged through the Dunbar defence and made no mistake in burying the second marker of the game for the local lads.
A last minute penalty kick for Dunbar looked to have been saved by keeper Cameron Doherty to preserve his shutout, but a retake was demanded by the referee as a fellow player's foot was ruled to have been inside the penalty box. Doherty was unable to make a heroic save the second time.
The final 2-1 score means Squamish is still in the hunt for the division title, one point back of the Point Grey Eagles.
Squamish plays twice this weekend at Quest University,with a 12:15 p.m. kickoff each day. Squamish plays Lynn Valley on Saturday (Jan. 30), then Sunday (Jan. 31) in a Cup match-up against the U18 Lynn Valley squad, both of which are in the Pioneer Cup final.
