Lasalle 3-3 Youngstown Marksmen

A terrible time as there were no Pokemon's hiding in Vet's park on Grand Island. Unconfirmed rumors of a fierce battle between yellow and red in parking lot after the game may have made the trip out worth it for some.

Lasalle showed up with only 7-8 to start the game, with a few trickling in after the kickoff. Fairly early on they lost one to injury as well. Marksmen had a short squad as well, with only 8-9 subs instead of the usual full on-full off. So obviously, Marksmen made the numbers count and went in to half time down 0-1. Nice goal by Lasalle, they got around the end and put a nice low cross in that was finished well.

Marksmen got into half time and decided to make our larger numbers count and change formation and really go after the tiring Lasalle squad. Changed from 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3 and went down 0-3 almost immediately. The second was a mirror goal to the first one, around the end and a nice cross in with a good finish. The third goal was a bit of a goalie error, he had the ball poke checked away from him while trying to go around someone outside the box, and then Lasalle had a tap in. In A. Barr's defense, he isn't the usual goalie and did pretty well the rest of the game. It will be nice to have Hastings back for the next one.

Marksmen switched back to the usual formation and finally started to make the numbers count, and scored 3 in the last 10 minutes or so of the game. Ben Steiner scored on a nice finish from a corner, John Wright put a nice volley in, and Collin O'Keefe scored on a dribbler of a shot that the goalie will want a do-over on. Both squads carved out chances for the winner towards the end, but Marksmen had the momentum and were putting Lasalle under pretty good pressure, while Lasalle was sitting and trying to break. They got around the end again but the player put his finish inches wide of the post, with John Wright hitting the post at the other end on a shot from outside the box.

Lasalle will look back and wonder how they didn't win being up all game and will be disappointed to let 3 in at the end while playing short staffed. Marksmen will go back disappointed with how they played for 60 minutes of the game, but relieved they found the energy after playing in the Niagara Pioneer tournament all weekend (this was the 4th or 5th game for a lot of the Marksmen players this weekend) to come back and tie and disappointed they didn't get a winner at the end.

Game was played in the right spirit with no bad tackles or yelling at the ref (minus a few questions over time keeping and water breaks), which is nice to see. Lasalle seem like a good group of guys and a good squad. Good luck to them, if things go well, we may be seeing them again in not to long.

JWright wrote:A terrible time as there were no Pokemon's hiding in Vet's park on Grand Island.  Unconfirmed rumors of a fierce battle between yellow and red in parking lot after the game may have made the trip out worth it for some.  

^^^^ POST OF THE YEAR^^^^

John, as I was searching for Pokemon in Connecticut and attending a wedding, I had a feeling you'd cover this report. thanks!