VUFC Hibernian hit top spot in VMSL Premier Division as BC Tigers get their first win of the new season (with video highlights)

With defending champs BB5 United seeing their home game with Inter EDC rescheduled to prevent any further injuries to their depleted squad ahead of this week’s nationals in Nova Scotia, it gave those clubs in and around them the chance to step up at the top of the Vancouver Metro Soccer League (VMSL) Premier Division standings across last weekend’s other five matches.

The action kicked off at Burnaby Lake on Friday evening as Columbus FC put a beat up Rino’s Fury side to the sword, going nap in a 5-0 win.

Columbus got off to a fast start and were three goals up by the 25th minute after strikes from Parker Ellis, Emiliano Brienza, and Paulo Dait. Ellis grabbed his second and his side’s 4th in the 52nd minute, pouncing on a goalkeeping error, and Brienza took his Golden Boot leading tally to seven, with a goal two minutes from time.

You can see Sport Revolution’s video highlights from the match below:

That win moved Columbus up to joint second in the table, and the team are playing some really nice football just now. Some very well-worked goals and finishes in that latest victory.

Friday night also saw a big win for Coquitlam Metro-Ford Wolves against West Van at Ambleside. Connor Robillard hit a hat-trick for them in that one, with two goals in the first half and the third from the spot in the 59th minute. Kyle Jones was also on target at the start of the second half as Metro-Ford ran out 4-0 victors, which still wasn’t enough to lift them into the top half of the table four games into the new campaign.

West Van sank to second bottom after the loss and will look for a bounce back this week against fellow strugglers, and now bottom side, Rino’s Fury this Friday.

Saturday’s action also kicked off at Burnaby Lake, as Croatia had to really battle to take all three points in a 2-1 victory over Westside FC, in what was very much the proverbial game of two halves.

Croatia dominated the first half play and took the lead from a lovely team goal, finished off with aplomb by Ivan Salov in the 20th minute. They doubled their lead eight minutes later from a Nicolas Budisa rocket from 25 yards out, but Westside came roaring back at them in the second half.

The visitors hit the post before pulling one back from the spot from Merhawi Abraha with 11 minutes remaining. Both teams pushed hard for another goal but neither could find it and Croatia held on to take all three points to go joint second in the standings, two points off top.

You can see our highlights from the match over on AFTN’s YouTube channel (please like an subscribe as we really could do with hitting the 1000 subscribers!!) and also below:

BCT Rovers Hurricanes are finally off and running this season, but they were made to work hard for their 3-2 victory over NVFC Norvan on the Kinsmen Field grass (nice to see the pitch used outwith the L1BC season again).

Nick Soolsma put the Surrey side ahead in the 14th minute before Sahil Sandhu double their lead in the 28th minute. That was how it stayed until Devin Gunenc pulled one back for Norvan seven minutes after the restart. Javid Khan restored the Hurricanes’ two goals advantage on the hour mark, but Andre Herath reduced it to one again in the 70th minute.

Hurricanes held on to grab their first win and first points of the season, moving off the foot of the table to 10th, while the previously unbeaten Norvan dropped to 8th.

Highlights HERE.

The final action of the weekend took place on Saturday night as Port Moody fell at home 3-1 to new league leaders VUFC Hibernian.

Two goals from Brandon Momotani and Patrick Braun in two minutes midway through the first half put the UBC lads in control. Lucas Johns pulled one back for Port Moody in the 68th minute to set up an exciting conclusion to the match, but Kurt Hymanyk sealed the deal for VUFC in stoppage time.

So after all of that action, the VMSL premier Division table looks as follows after the first four games of the new season:

It definitely feels like we’re going to have quite the logjam this season and the battle for Provincial Cup places is going to be fierce. Rino’s could do with a big win this weekend to get some early points on the board or you worry they could get cut adrift at the bottom quite quickly.

Here’s what’s on the slate this weekend:

FRIDAY OCT 6TH

Coquitlam Metro-Ford Wolves v Port Moody SC (8.00pm – Cunnings Turf, Coquitlam)
Rino’s Fury v BCT Rovers Hurricanes (8.00pm – Ken Woods Field, UBC, Vancouver)
Inter EDC v Columbus FC (8.10pm – Burnaby Lake West Field 3)

SATURDAY OCT 7TH

Westside FC v NVFC Norvan (4.05pm – Point Grey Turf, Vancouver)

SUNDAY OCT 8TH

VUFC Hibernian v Croatia SC (1.00pm – UBC South Turf, Vancouver)

Good luck to BB5 United CCB who kick off their quest for the Challenge Trophy in Halifax on Wednesday against FC Winnipeg Lions. The Surrey powerhouse have been hit by a raft of injuries and players unable to travel for the tournament, but will still head into it as one of the favourites, as they look to add to their success in 2019.

BB5 will then face Ontario provincial champs West Ottawa SC on Thursday, Quebec champs Rapides Chaudiere-Ouest on Friday, then have Saturday off before facing Fredericton Picaroons Reds from New Brunswick in their final group game on Sunday. Hopefully a championship final will them await them on Thanksgiving Monday.

A reminder, you can get all of the results, fixtures, and standings across all of the divisions at VMSLsoccer.com