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Man Down, Spiders avenge earlier loss.
Friday night saw the Spokane Spiders taking on the Abbotsford Rangers. Right from the start it was a physical game, with both teams fighting for positions in the league standings.
In the 22nd minute, referee Jeremy Hanson called a foul against Abbotsford inside their own half. The Spiders utilized the short free kick, and the ball was played back to Keith Reeling, who sent in a long cross that caught Abbotsford off guard. The ball skipped through to the far post, where Zach Smith was ready and willing to pounce on the opportunity. He took the ball off his chest and calmly placed it far post from inside the six yard box. A few minutes later, on a challenged in the Ranger’s half, forward John Prugh was a little too rough for the likings of the referee and received a straight red card for elbowing a Rangers defender. Shortly after that, Abbotsford took advantage of the now ten man Spiders team and Leslie Steffan sent a hard cross on the ground to the far post where Juystin Cordick was waiting. He managed to slip the ball back across the goal to the keeper’s left to tie the game in the 31st minute. For the rest of the first half both teams had opportunities, but Spiders keeper Jeff Srock and Rangers keeper Jake Kubanski both made important saves.
Eight minutes into the second half, Abbotsford fouled Spokane just across the halfway line on a counter that brought all their players forward. Spokane quickly took the free kick before Abbotsford could recover, and Conor Baranski slotted Jay Vela a through ball. After a few touches Vela was in and pounded a low shot that skipped under Cordick to recapture the lead.
Playing a man down for over 30 minutes, the Spiders need to lock it down defensively, but Brendan Podolski scored in the 62nd on a header, the cross from Ethan Collins. The game was tied again, 2 – 2. Subbed on for Jay Vela, Tye Perdido was hunting for his first goal on his debut; due to a knee injury hat has kept him on the sidelines. In the 71st minutes, a scramble in the Ranger’s own 18 yard box saw the ball at the feet of Jesse Dunbar, just outside the box on the end line. He crossed a ball that, after deflecting off the keeper Cordick and a Ranger’s defender, made it to Perdido. It took an acrobatic twist, but he managed to get his head on the ball and it went straight to the back of the net.
For the last 20 minutes the Spiders’ controlled most of the game, even though they had been playing a man down since the 26th minute. The Ranger’s had some chances, but Srock stepped up and made a few key saves, finishing with 6 on the night. Final score Spokane Spiders 3, Abbotsford Rangers 2.
Next weekend the Spiders head to the West side to take on the Kitsap Pumas and the Tacoma Tide.
Sponsor a Spider Player
For only $500, you can sponsor a Spider player for the 2009 season and have you or your company recognized every time that player is announced on the broad speaker.
Money goes to uniforms, registration, and travel arrangements for your sponsored player.
Contact William Brown for more information.
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