One late first-half goal, and a pair of quick goals after the break gave the Chestermere Lakers Boys Soccer club its only win of the season, defeating the Cochrane Cobras 3-0 in Cochrane, May 16.
The game wrapped up the Rocky View Sports Association’s short regular season in preparation for semi-finals in Airdrie.
Fighting injuries and a strong wind, the Cochrane Cobras, which started the season with back-to-back wins and dropped its last two, would finish the regular season 2W-2L. The team will play Chestermere in the semi-finals on May 22, in an attempt to head to the finals, which will take place May 24.
“We have a few injuries that have cropped up. We started with a short bench and had three injuries in this game. We played with nine guys for the second half,” said Cochrane Coach Carolyn McLeod.
“The players with the skill to control the ball, those are the guys we need back. This is not our team we were playing with.”
McLeod hopes her club will be all healed up come the semi-finals, and feels that if it can start the game with a full roster, it will have a good chance at moving on to the finals.
“We will be going into Tuesday with a full roster,” said McLeod.
“If we go in without full roster and we lose, fair enough.”
Chestermere Laker Coach Gary Mitschke said he was aware the Cobras were suffering from injuries, but is proud of the win nonetheless.
“It’s nice to get that win, it feels good,” said Mitschke. “Being up 3-0, you try and play strong defence. We didn’t change our game plan much.”
The Lakers will be ready for the rematch as Mitschke says his forwards with great ball control will make it tough for the Cobras.
“We have quite a few skilled guys who play up front, they know how to work it down there,” said Mitschke. “Tuesday is going to be exciting. We have to do more of the same as what we did today, lots of possession and talking on the field.”
