Second place is on the line today as Highlanders F.C. faces the Mid Isle Mariners in an Island derby in the final Pacific Coast Soccer League regular-season games for both clubs at 2 p.m. at Royal Athletic Park.
No matter the result, the two teams will also face each other in semi-finals set for Saturday on the mainland.
A Highlanders’ win today means the locals wrestle back second and a tie would leave them one point shy of their Island rivals, who have now benefited from back-to-back forfeits against mainland teams failing to make the trip over.
A Mariners’ win today would leave them tied on points with first-place Vancouver United, but well behind in goal differential, which determines placing in cases of ties.
The Mariners are 10-2-3 courtesy of the two recent free spots on the bingo card, behind Vancouver United’s 11-2-3 and just above the Highlanders’ log of 8-6-1.
“I’m not happy about it, no,” Highlanders head coach Dave Dew said of the Mariners’ six free points. “And they got jobbed out of playing two games. I don’t think that’s right either. I told the league president in an email, what would they do if that was us? We’ve done our trips and already spent our money. I think they should be fined and fined more than what it costs to come over.”
It’s a point well taken.
“You know, we constantly get dumped on because we’re from the Island,” Dew said.
But the fact remains his team needs to push ahead in preparation for playoffs.
“We’re going to be missing a few bodies because of previous commitments, but come playoff time we’ll have everybody back,” said Dew, who will be without talented midfielder Cam Hundal today. “But we still have a deep roster.”
Mid Island will be another good test and that's what you want moving toward the post-season.
The Highlanders won the previous matchup 2-1 over the Mariners in the first Island derby, with youngsters Callum Montgomery and Mackenzie Cole providing the goals in Ladysmith.
“Making the playoffs was always the main goal,” Dew said. “We have done that and now look forward to our final league game and trying to secure second place. We’re disappointed we had so many draws, but considering how far we have come in three short months, I can see past that and look to a good run in the playoffs.”
The top four teams will compete in the Sheila Anderson Memorial Challenge Cup at Trillium Park on Saturday. The two semi-final winners advance to the championship game a week today at 1 p.m.
Tickets for today’s game, along with Highlanders season tickets for 2016, are available at selectyourtickets.com. Cash-only tickets are available at the gate.
mannicchiarico@timescolonist.com
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