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October 15, 2006
Pioneers Edge Delta Richmond Pioneers 1 Delta United 0 After a respectable showing at the Penticton Tournament last weekend, Richmond Pioneers returned to winter league action as they hosted Delta United at Honda Park. The visitors from Ladner gave the hosts a surprisingly difficult game, but the Pioneers prevailed with a 1-0 victory to preserve their unbeaten start to the season. With players returning from injury to add to the already bloated playing roster, the Pioneer subs bench—the choir section—was verging on overload. And so was coach Mike Mogul's brain as he struggled to devise a 'rotation' system to accommodate the hordes on the sideline. Played in slick, rainy conditions, the opening 20 minutes saw both teams feeling each other out, with neither side able to carve out any clear cut chances. The Pioneers best chance came midway through the half, after Danny Lazar worked hard to create an opening, laying the ball in the path of Graham Mason, whose first time shot went well wide of the target. Obviously, he was a bit rusty following a five week absence :-) Delta's best effort of the half rattled the woodwork, so the game remained scoreless at the end of 45 minutes. The second half saw the Pioneers gain the upper hand territorially, but it was not until the 60 minute mark that the Pioneers got the breakthrough that, on the balance of play, they deserved. After a period of pressure, an inch-perfect cross from Dennis Luk found Jusuf Skrijelj at the far post, his header beating the Delta keeper. 1-0 Pioneers. It was expected the goal would open up the floodgates, but it was not to be, as Delta refused to buckle. The Pioneers defense played a solid game as they restricted Delta to very few openings. Despite chances to increase their lead, the final whistle blew for a narrow 1-0 victory.
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