Joel Pushpari is a man full of enthusiasm and effort and on Saturday his first goal in the league dragged Driving Force back into the game after going down 2-0 to Yukon Brewing in over-35’s soccer action.

Pushpari was in the right place at the right time as he slotted the ball home after good work by David Rayo to get the ball to him.

When Val Shapoval got the second goal, Driving Force were back in business, with the chance to go on to win, but were unable to get that precious goal, leaving the game tied and both teams happy with the result.

The start of the game was all Brewing as they pounded stand-in keeper Keith Welch with shots, but generally was up to the task.

The only exceptions were Derek Funk’s and Kruno Kunovic’s strikes.

When Martin Farrow got injured, he had to don the gloves in the second half. He did a remarkable job to keep the Brewing at bay.

The major problem Yukon Brewing has now is that captain Jason Steele pulled a fetlock and will be euthanized and will miss the rest of the season.

Clash of the Titans

Two of the best players in the league went head-to-head in the game between Pepsi and Chieftian and it was superb viewing for anyone watching.

Ciran Connolly and Mark Chandler are stand out performers in this league and probably any league in the world and went at each other with hammer and tongs.

Chandler, slick and nimble on his feet, is a ball of energy, while Connolly is a powerhouse with speed and tricks; their play lit up the Canada Games Centre.

As you would expect, goals were going to be the currency that would decide the fate of the game.

Chandler scored first for Chieftain, only for Pepsi’s Huy Nguyen to equalize.

The theme of the weekend was the lack of fit keepers and the curse hit this game as Jesse Walchuk, who was playing as a stand in keeper, got injured and was replaced by big Ed Peart.

The resiliance of Chieftain shone through when Miles Hume scored the winner from an acute angle to take all three points.

Air North Rangers ease to win

Air North got back to winning ways as they beat Klondike Office Systems 6-1 in the final game of the morning. KOS skipper Phil Jackson was determined to put up a good show, so he placed a large bet with the Vegas bookmakers that his team would not concede a goal for the first 20 minutes.

They achieved this and more when the effervescent Graham Sim equalized with a deft shot, leaving the game delicately posed going into the second half.

Air North had other ideas, as they played with more cohesion and were able to spread the goals around as they piled on the hurt for Jackson and his team.

Skipper Iain Breakenridge, Justin Carre, Roger Hosking and River Walton (two) all scored and there was even a goal for goalkeeper Fabian Glyka.

The win keeps the pressure on Chieftain, but with time running out for Air North they need another team to do them a favour.

- submitted by ANDY TODD