A rare Monday afternoon game was played last week when Middletown came to the Valley. This was the first time in a number of years that the teams had met and although it was a non-league match, it would still be included in the team’s record and therefore affect post-season seedings, if that eventuality happens.
The game was, to put if far more politely than I expressed at the time, absolutely dreadful. Middletown came here with the idea of playing several men in defense and hoping to catch AV on a counter-attack. To regular readers and fans of the team, this might sound familiar. A very similar tactic was used by Geyserville a few weeks ago and it worked well as they handed the Panthers a 0-1 defeat, the only loss of the season to-date.
On this occasion, even allowing for Middletown’s spoiling tactics, the first half saw AV somehow miss more good chances in this one 40-minute period than they would normally have had in three or four full games. The inability to score from seemingly easy positions was hard to believe and even harder to watch.
The second half was mostly more of the same, the most exciting moment being when the goalposts had to be repaired. Finally, in the 61st minute Juan Lua drove a low hard shot from 20 yards out into the far corner of the goal. It was an excellent shot and it finally ended Middletown’s very negative, yet fierce resistance. They had nothing to offer on offense so the result was inevitable from then on. More chances came and went for AV without adding to the score line and this awful game ended 1-0. I suppose a win is a win, but on this occasion it didn’t seem to mean much to the players who were very disappointed at their collective effort and realized they had only narrowly beaten a very poor team and must improve. The performance was equally disappointing for the disgruntled AV coach, who at one point threw his water bottle down in disgust — a petulant action that he had not taken for at least four seasons!
The next couple of practices inevitably focused on finishing in front of goal and they went well. However, as the following game was at Calistoga, currently a few points clear at the top of the league standings having won all of their matches apart from one draw with Roseland Prep, it would probably be the defense that would hold the key to any success. On a warm Friday afternoon, AV made the two-hour journey to what was surely going to be a very inhospitable environment: Homecoming in Calistoga.
Sure enough a large crowd of Calistoga fans were on the sidelines as the teams kicked off. After weathering the inevitable Wildcat ‘storm’ to start the game, AV settled down and were playing well when a penalty kick was awarded against them in the 19th minute following a strong but unfair challenge by skipper Manny Almeida on the Calistoga forward. The penalty was duly dispatched into the roof of Christian Mendoza’s net and it was 0-1 to the Wildcats, sending the local fans into annoying raptures.
This setback seemed to invigorate the Panthers and just seven minutes later, Junior Ferreyra sent in a thunderous free kick from 25 yards out that the Wildcat ‘keeper could only fingertip on to his crossbar before the ball bounced down over the line. A great strike by the freshman and it was 1-1 — the previously vociferous home crowd were stunned into silence. AV continued to give a good account of themselves with central defenders Almeida and freshman Abraham Sanchez dominant and Mendoza providing a couple of good saves and faultless ball-handling in the Panther goal. Battering ram Pancho Lievanos caused all sorts of problems for the Wildcat defense which had chances of their own and in the 38th minute took a deserved lead when a collision between Pancho and the Wildcat ‘keeper saw the ball ricochet into the Calistoga net. It was 2-1 to AV at the half – 40 minutes of good play, determination, discipline, and no small amount of skill from the whole AV team.
Following impassioned team talks by Coach Sparks and parent Herrardo Sanchez at the break, AV returned to the field with renewed energy and determination as the ‘battle’ continued. The game was very physical — tackles went flying in, tempers flared, yellow cards were handed out by an overworked referee. Pancho Lievanos should have put AV up 3-1 but his powerful shot from 20 yards was blocked by a superb save by the Calistoga goalie and for the final 20 minutes the Wildcats pushed forward in greater numbers in search of the equalizer at the other end.
In the 62nd minute, following an innocuous tussle on the edge of the Panther penalty box, the assistant referee on the sideline signaled that a foul had been committed by Junior Ferreyra. Inexplicably the referee saw fit to agree with this controversial call and awarded the penalty. In an Under-8 match this would have been harsh, both players equally pushing and shoving. But such an award had no place in a match of such high intensity; it was a shameful decision. The Calistoga striker made no mistake from the spot and it was 2-2. Both coaches agreed that the decision was wrong. Meanwhile, things were getting restless on the sidelines with heated words exchanged between the massed ranks of Wildcat fans and the handful of brave Panther supporters.
The final 15 minutes were frantic and both sides had chances to get the winning goal. With the sun going down and two police cars now on the sidelines, the Calistoga assistant coach threatened a Panther bench player with physical violence. The referee was unable to keep up with the end-to-end action, the atmosphere was tense and threatening and the result could have gone either way. However, no further goals were added and it finished 2-2.
Following a little post game ‘discussion’ between players on both sides, all part of the ‘Homecoming atmosphere’ and swiftly broken up by the coaches, everyone headed for the exits and the police drove off into the night.
It was a good result for the Panthers, considering the opponent’s record. But with a 2-1 lead and a disputed penalty goal accounting for the equalizer, it was unsatisfactory on some levels, yet very pleasing on others. Many teams will go to Calistoga and come away with nothing. The Panthers, who each gave their all, were ‘fired up’ and in very good spirits after the game. Inside the van on the ride home, a happy coach endured the endless ‘wrestling’ that the players still somehow had the energy to partake in.
At the time of this writing, the team was preparing to head to southeast Santa Rosa for another road game against Sonoma Academy on Tuesday evening. The team will then play back-to-back matches at home against Point Arena and Fort Bragg this Friday and Saturday, Oct 5th and 6th, both starting at 4.30pm. A large and boisterous crowd of locals would be much appreciated for these important games and we hope to see you there. Come on you Panthers!
Current record (won/lost/drawn): League 2-1-3; Overall 6-1-3
2012 Schedule (Partial):
Tue 8/28 N Kelseyville Away 4.30 4-2 W
Thur 8/30 N Cloverdale Away 4.30 5-1 W
Sat 9/1 N Ukiah Away 7.00 3-1 W
Wed 9/5 Lg Geyserville Home 4.30 0-1 L
Fri 9/7 Lg Sonoma Academy Home 4.30 4-0 W
Wed 9/12 Lg Rincon Valley Home 4.30 2-1 W
Tue 9/18 Lg Roseland Prep Away 4.30 1-1 D
Fri 9/21 Lg St. Vincent’s Home 4.30 1-1 D
Mon 9/24 N Middletown Home 4.30 1-0 W
Fri 9/28 Lg Calistoga Away 5.30 2-2 D
Tue 10/2 Lg Sonoma Academy Away 4.30
Fri 10/5 Lg Point Arena Home 4.30
Sat 10/6 N Ft. Bragg Home 4.30
Lg – League / N – Non-League
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