Keith Millar B Cup looks wide open as quarter-final action set for this weekend

There were some shocks, late drama, and a lot of close encounters in the eight first round matchups in the Keith Millar Provincial B Cup last weekend, with the competition looking wide open as the quarter-finals get set to play out this Saturday and Sunday.

The first round produced 23 goals between them, saw four Divisional champions advance to the last eight, and two more crash out as four leagues (the Vancouver Metro Soccer League, the Fraser Valley Soccer League, the Vancouver Island Soccer League, and the Richmond Adult Soccer Association) still have teams representing them in the quarters. Only the Burnaby Metro Soccer Association teams have been all eliminated.

The action got underway in Burnaby last Saturday evening with VMSL Division 3B champs getting the better of BMSA champions Coasters FC 1-0 in a close game at Burnaby Central that saw the Surrey side’s excellent season continuing after an unbeaten league campaign and a narrow loss in the VMSL Division 2 cup final.

In a battle of two second teams, FVSL side Abbotsord United B headed to Ambleside and came away with a 2-0 victory over the VMSL’s West Van B, in what was a bad afternoon for the home side’s teams in this year’s Provincials.

There was a shock at Hugh Boyd Park in Richmond as RASA League Cup champions West Coast FC beat VMSL Division 2B champions FC Romania 2-1 after extra time.

Over on the island it was an all-VISL clash between VISL Division 3A and George Pearkes Challenge Cup champions Gorge-Us Guys and the Juan de Fuca Kings at Victoria’s Hampton Park, with the Gorge-Us ones running out 2-1 winners.

FVSL Division 2A and Presidents Cup champions Mission SC looked strong in a 3-0 win over BMSA side Mundiavocat at Mission Rotary Sports Park.

The final first round match on Saturday was an all-VMSL affair, with Division 2A champions VUFC Snipers just coming out on top 1-0 over Division 2 Cup winners Vancouver Harps at Trillium.

There were two remaining first round ties played on Sunday evening, with the action kicking off at Hugh Boyd Park in Richmond with what proved to be the tie of the round and it was an absolute barn burner between unbeaten RASA champions Richmond All Blacks and VMSL side Gastown Astro.

After a tight and goalless first hour, it was Astro that took the lead in the 61st minute before the All Blacks pegged them back six minutes later from the spot. Gastown went back ahead in the 81st minute and as the minutes ticked down they must have been thinking they had done enough to clinch a place in the quarter-finals but the Richmond champs had other ideas and staged a dramatic late comeback.

The All Blacks tied things up in the 86th minute and then with extra time looming, Richmond grabbed the winner with a minute remaining to clinch a dramatic 3-2 victory and a place in the last eight.

The final first round match saw FVSL side Aldergrove United Highlanders head to Newton to take on VMSL side Lobbans FC and come away with the 3-2 victory.

So after all of that action, here’s how the weekend’s four quarter-finals shape up:

SATURDAY APRIL 30

GORGE US-GUYS (VISL) v ABBOTSFORD UNITED B (FVSL)
12.15pm kick off – Layritz Park, Saanich

RICHMOND ALL BLACKS (RASA) v ALDERGROVE UNITED HIGHLANDERS (FVSL)
8.00pm kick off – Minoru Oval, Richmond

SUNDAY MAY 1

GUILDFORD FC (VMSL) v WEST COAST FC (RASA)
6.00pm kick – Newton Athletic Park Stadium, Surrey

VUFC SNIPERS (VMSL) v MISSION SC (FVSL)
6.30pm kick off – UBC South Turf, Vancouver

You can find all of the results and fixtures for all of the BC Provincial Cup games HERE.