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PFC scoring, but still awaiting win
Julie Garneau scores as U13 girls gain confidence

By Marco Smits
The Review-Mirror
June 21, 2007

Strikers of the Portland Football Club [PFC] are starting to find the back of the net, but three weeks into the season they are still waiting for their first win.

On Thursday it was Julie Garneau who drove the first one home for the U13 PFC girls in a loss to Kingston United.

"You could see a change in attitude once they scored that goal. It gave them a big lift and it was a nice goal from just inside the 18-yard box," said coach Scott Halladay.

"We are in most of the games, it is just that most of the goals have been scored when we just have a bit of a mental let down. Last Thursday, three of the five goals scored against us were like that, bad breaks, and we are not getting any good bounces going our way yet, hopefully thatŐs going to change shortly," Halladay said.

On Saturday, the U13 girls also played for the East Region Shield, a cup championship that is separate from the regular East Region Soccer League (ERSL). PFC lost that tight game against Nepean City with a 1-0 score that was already reached at half time.

"We just could not get it going in the second half. The majority of the play was in the middle of the field. It will come, we are starting to get to know each other, getting to play together."

The girls, who play with a full team of 11 players on a regular sized field, have been playing with only two substitutes throughout the season, but have been strengthened by a few additional competitors this week.

The PFC U16 boys also resumed action after a week long break.

For most of the game, the squad of head coach Anders Carson had the lead, but towards the end momentum switched the other way.

Halfway through the second half, Belleville was awarded two penalty kicks within minutes, both for a handball inside the box. Carson later stated that at least one of the two calls was wrong. Belleville scored one of the penalty kicks to tie the game and not much later they closed the deal.

However, Carson was pleased with his team. "When they scored 4-3, we pushed forward and tried to tie the game. They scored 5-3 but it was the most exciting game I have ever coached. It was fun," Carson said.

David Waenink, Andrew DeKroon and Ryan Patterson scored for the boys in red and black. This week the U16 PFC squad faces the toughest team in the league.

At home on Thursday, they will play the Cataraqui Clipper, who have scored 17 goals so far and only allowed 1. Austin Bresee and Robbie Beveridge will share goalie duties in front of the loyal PFC home crowd.

For more information visit www.portlandoutdoors.com/pfc