Bays United shock West Van as BC Provincial A Cup first round serves up fantastic entertainment (+ video highlights from five matches)

(Graphic by @VictoriaGooner/Twitter)

There was BC Provincial A Cup action for the first time in three years over the weekend, and the eight matches didn’t disappoint.

After 33 goals, late drama, extra time, penalties, and sending offs across the matches, there were eight teams left standing, providing a great split across the three local leagues with three teams left from the Vancouver Metro Soccer League (VMSL), three from the Fraser Valley Soccer League (FVSL), and two from the Vancouver Island Soccer League (VISL).

The action got underway in Coquitlam on Friday evening as Metro Ford Wolves played host to Inter EDC in an all-VMSL matchup at Charles Best.

As expected this was a closely contested affair, with the deciding goal from Connor Moe coming in the first half as Metro Ford came away with the narrow 1-0 victory.

Friday night also saw another all-VMSL first round matchup at Newton Athletic Park with local rivals BB5 United CCB taking on BCT Rovers Hurricanes.

We’d deemed it our ‘Match of the Round’ and the game certainly lived up to the billing as the two Surrey sides, and the last two winners of both the Provincial Cup and the national Challenge Trophy, served up a pulsating affair.

In the end it was VMSL champions BB5 United CCB who came through it with a 3-2 victory, but they were certainly pushed all the way by the Hurricanes, who nearly forced extra time at the death with a header that just flew agonisingly wide.

The Hurricanes had actually taken an early lead when Nick Soolsma fired home from the spot six minutes in, but their lead was to be very short lived and BB5 came roaring back to tie things up just three minutes later when Nic Morello scored after getting onto a flicked on header at the back post, possibly with the help of Elie Gindo on the line as the ball was crossing the line.

Both teams had their chances to grab the crucial next goal but it was BB5 who got it when Connor Glennon started and finished a nice passing move in the 44th minute, volleying home a deflected Eric de Graaf cross at the back post.

BB5 added to their lead in the second half when Morello grabbed his second of the game in the 54th minute, taking a nice touch to make room and curl a low one into the bottom left corner.

Down 3-1, it was the talismanic Soolsma who reduced the deficit for the Hurricanes back to one, running in on goal to slot home in the 70th minute.

Both sides had their chances to add to the scoring, and although it was the Hurricanes who had the best of them, they couldn’t find another goal and VMSL champs BB5 moved on to the quarters.

You can see highlights of the match on our YouTube channel HERE and in the video below:

Saturday saw another five first round matches across the lower mainland and Vancouver Island and there were some big scores, controversy, and surprises along the way.

The action got under in Nanaimo in the only all-VISL match up of the round, and it was a close one as Nanaimo United saw off their league counterparts Vic West 2-1, with tempers getting a little heated towards the end after the home side advanced to the next round with a penalty.

And Nanaimo were soon joined in the quarters by another VISL side, as Bays United Liquor Plus pulled off the cupset with a 3-2 extra time win at West Van FC in Ambleside Park.

It was a deserved victory for the islanders, who were the more dangerous side throughout, but had to work hard to get over the line after seeing their two goal lead pegged back by a home side that never gave up.

It could have been very different if West Van had taken the early chance afforded to them when Paul Kelly went down in the box. Up stepped Eoin McCormack, but he hit his penalty high over the bar and minutes later they found themselves behind to a sweet Manny Straith volley from the edge of the box 20 minutes in.

The teams exchanged chances but Bays held their lead till half time. The cup shock was on, and it looked even more so when Jack Hill doubled the VISL side’s lead five minutes into the second half, running in on goal and brilliantly chipping the West Van keeper to make it 2-0.

The Victoria side weren’t able to enjoy their cushion though as the deficit was immediately brought back to one when Stefan Crameri went down in the box and Colin Phillips made no mistake from the spot this time around, drilling home the 52nd minute penalty.

West Van pushed for the equaliser, while Bays looked to capitalise on quick breakaways, but the home side tied things up in the 81st minute when Thomas Arnott rose to head home in the second phase from a free kick into the back of the box.

That could have broken Bays’ resolve, but instead they strengthened it and pushed hard to settle the game in the 90 minutes. It wasn’t to be, however, and the match headed for an extra 30.

The deciding moment came three minutes into the second half of extra time when Jose Sagaste ran through a tired looking West Van defence to tuck away what proved to be the 108th minute winner and book the VISL side a place in the last eight.

You can see highlights of the match on our YouTube channel HERE and in the video below:

While the first four ties in the round were all decided by one goal, the next two matches were very much one-sided affairs, racking up a couple of lopsided victories for two teams that will really fancy their chances of going all the way in this competition.

FVSL champions, and treble winners, FC Tigers were in action at Cloverdale against fellow league opposition in the shape of Surrey United. Tigers were the heavy favourites to win quite handily in this one and that proved to the case as they moved into seventh heaven with a 7-1 rout.

Leading scorer Farivar Torabi struck first for Tigers in the 12th minute, running onto a lovely long Erik Edwardson ball and finishing with aplomb. Two minutes later though Surrey were back level, heading home the equaliser from the second phase of an indirect free kick in the box that had crashed off the bar.

That was to be as good as it got for Surrey, who fell behind again in the 20th minute and after that there was to be no looking back for the FVSL champs.

Connor MacMillan drilled home a third in the 21st minute with a fierce volley at the back post and that was how it stayed until half time. Tigers continued their dominance in the 51st minute when Torabi grabbed his second to make it 4-1, showing nice footwork in the box to stay on the ball and score after the Surrey keeper had saved his first effort.

A 62nd minute own goal saw Tigers go nap, then they made it six in the 69th minute with a long range strike. Torabi rounded off the scoring in the final minute with a neat finish to grab his hat-trick and make it a 7-1final.

You can see the full match on Sport Media BC’s YouTube channel HERE.

While that one was playing out, VMSL side Rinos VSC Coastal were producing a rout of their own 20 minutes away in South Surrey, hitting VISL team Cowichan for six in a 6-1 triumph.

Coastal got off and running early in this one when Taylor Richardson stooped to head home a corner from four yards out in the 8th minute. Eight minutes later it was 2-0 and it was Richardson again who did the damage, running in unmarked at the back of the box and slotting the ball home.

The VMSL side were rampant and had several opportunities to score more, eventually adding their third five minutes before half time when Richardson drilled a low one in from 20 yards out after Cowichan failed to clear the danger, sealing his hat-trick.

It was four, 10 minutes after the restart, when Jake Starheim scored from the spot after Jeevan Minhas had been brought down in the box and Coastal went nap in the 69th minute when Noah Thompson swept the ball home from six yards out.

To their credit, Cowichan kept fighting and they scored the goal of the game in the 80th minute when Mateo Kostering volleyed home a beauty from the corner of the box. That wasn’t to be it for the scoring though and James Farenhorst made it 6-1 a minute into stoppage time, firing home from a corner from close range for a very comfortable win for the VMSL side.

You can see highlights from the match on Sports Revolution’s YouTube channel HERE and in the video below:

The final action on Saturday night came at Empire Field in Vancouver, and the all-FVSL clash between two sides that had very little separating them over the regular season – FC Faly and Langley United.

In a very fast-paced match, it was always going to be a close affair, and it was only finally settled in stoppage time with FC Faly running out 3-1 winners against a Langley side that played the last 55 minutes of the match with 10 men.

Both teams had several attacking chances in the early going, with Langley perhaps just edging it, but it was Faly who went ahead in the 32nd minute through a long distance Sairoob Sairoob strike, that had the help of a deflection oon the way to goal.

The big game changer came three minutes later when Langley were reduced to 10 men after Scott Barling was sent off for an apparent stamp on Faly’s Bernardo Illoz. It had been a bit of a chippy game up to that point and that kept going with a few more coming togethers and cards handed out before the end, just no other red ones.

The ten men of Langley got back on level terms, however, on the stroke of half time, with John Craig heading home a Brennen Slawter cross from a three yards out, and all of a sudden they were back in the game.

Faly used their extra man advantage well, using their pace to stretch the game, and went back in front in the 53rd minute when Sairoob Sairoob brought down a Wonder Tarr cross in the box and volleyed home a beauty from 14 yards.

Despite creating numerous scoring chances, Faly had to wait until late in the game to seal the deal and the victory. They thought they had done it in the last minute of normal time when Rafael Elias de Oliveira was brought down in the box, but Anastazi Nahayo’s penalty crashed off the right post to keep Langley hopes alive.

Three minutes into stoppage time is was to be 3-1 to Faly, with Steev Salim having a nice turning finish in the six yard box, sparking jubilant scenes on the Faly bench. With a lot of this Faly team on Altitude FC’s League1 BC roster, this is excellent preseason preparation for them, although they now face a tough task in the quarter-finals against VMSL champs BB5 United.

You can see highlights of the match on our YouTube channel HERE and in the video below:

And there was still time for more action on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the weekend.

It was another one that was vying for the title of the ‘Match of the Round’ on paper when the draw came out, with second-placed FVSL side Abbotsford United heading to the island to take on VISL champions at Braefoot Park in Victoria.

Lakehill had the edge and home field advantage in this one and it felt even more so when Craig Gorman opened the scoring for them in the 20th minute, a narrow lead they took into half time.

Abbotsford hit back just before the hour mark when Atle Koellmel buried a rebound from close range to tie things up in the 57th minute and the FVSL side were in dreamland when Reece Branion gave them the lead with 10 minutes remaining, completing the turnaround.

But there was to be late drama as Lakehill sent the crowd into rapture when leading scorer Blair Sturrock scrambled the ball home in the 88th minute to send the game into extra time.

The deciding moment came just two minutes into the extra period when David Parfett’s long ranger was parried by the Lakehill keeper. The rebound fell to Ben Shumbusho, who buried it in the Lakehill net to give Abbotsford a 3-2 lead they weren’t to give up, booking them a spot in this weekend’s quarter-finals.

A lot of great games there and there’s another four in store this weekend in the quarter-finals. Here’s what’s on the slate:

FRIDAY APRIL 29TH

BB5 United CCB (VMSL) v FC Faly (FVSL)
8.30pm kick off – Newton Athletic Park Stadium, Surrey

SATURDAY APRIL 30TH

FC Tigers (FVSL) v Nanaimo United (VISL)
3.30pm kick off – Burnaby Lake West Field

Rinos VSC Coastal (VMSL) v Bays United (VISL)
4.00pm kick off – South Surrey Athletic Park

Abbotsford United (VMSL) v Coquitlam Metro Ford Wolves
6.00pm kick off – Matsqui Recreation Centre, Abbotsford

You can check out all of the results and fixtures across all six men’s Provincial Cups on the BC Soccer website HERE.