If you happen to be at Royal Athletic Park this afternoon and spot a couple of members of the Highlanders F.C. clicking the heels of their cleats and muttering, “There’s no place like home,” there is no need to be alarmed.
After almost a full month away, the local Pacific Coast Soccer League club is as delighted as Dorothy was in The Wizard of Oz to be making a return.
Today’s 4 p.m. kickoff against Khalsa Sporting Club of Port Coquitlam is the first home game for the local lads since a 1-1 draw against Vancouver United on May 17.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it,” Highlanders coach Dave Dew said.
“We’re looking forward to being at home at RAP again. It’s always great to play in front of a home crowd and no one in the league puts on a game the way we do.”
The Highlanders have long been recognized for their efforts in game production.
“A lot of these teams don’t have the infrastructure or volunteers to pull it off. I know Vancouver United made mention to the league of our game-day production and it’s something they would like everyone to achieve,” Dew said.
The Highlanders are coming off five away games which began with a 2-0 loss to Vancouver United and was followed by a 1-1 draw against the Vancouver Thunderbirds.
Since those two setbacks, the Highlanders have rattled off three straight shut-out wins — all from goalkeeper Noah Pawlowski — in 1-0, 2-0 and 4-0 victories against the Kamloops Heat, Abbotsford Magnuzzon Ford S.C. and F.C. Tigers Vancouver, respectively.
In the latter, Keevan Webb had the only goal of the first half before substitutes Brian Im, Adam Almeida and Mackenzie Cole provided the insurance with second-half goals.
“Defensively, we are far better than we were at the start of the year. We gave up a lot of cheap goals earlier on,” said Dew, who has pounded a more defensive philosophy into his troops.
In attack, he’s getting production from the younger half of his roster, including Im and Cole.
“I’m really pleased with that,” Dew said.
“Brian Im has really impressed as a sub. He’s really come on a as a Grade 12 player and Mackenzie Cole has impressed as well, but we knew that would happen coming in.”
Cole is in Grade 11 at Glenlyon Norfolk School.
The Highlanders are at the top the PCSL standings with five wins, four ties and one loss for 19 points, having played three games more than most opponents.
Khlasa Sporting Club is 3-1-2 for 10 points in just six games.
CORNER KICKS: Khalsa features former Highlander Carlo Basso and a pair of graduates of both the UBC T-Birds and Simon Fraser University programs … Victoria will entertain the visiting Vancouver Thunderbirds at Royal Athletic Park on Sunday at 2 p.m.
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