Saturday, July 15 vs. Cascade Surge at McColloch Stadium in Salem

Aldous scores twice as Surge shuts out the Firebirds 3-0

Second-half substitute Jason Aldous scored twice on runs from midfield, and Juan Pablo Galavis scored his first goal of the season as the Cascade Surge shut out John & Phil's Firebirds 3-0 in a match in front of 500 fans at McCulloch Stadium in Salem.

After 15 minutes of mostly midfield play, the host team got their first goal on a wild scramble in front of the Firebirds net. After 'Birds goalkeeper Bryan Hill had saved a close-in shot, a follow up was blocked off the line by a Firebirds defender. But the visitors were unable to clear the ball from the front of the net and it ended up on the foot of Juan Pablo Galavis, who shot it just inside the left pole from five yards out, just barely beating Bryan Hill who was unable to recover quickly enough to make the save. The half ended with the Surge up 1-0.

Eric Cronkrite makes a cut on defender William Hander

In the 55th minute, on a Surge corner kick, a header on goal beat Hill to the far side, but Eric Cronkrite trapped the ball with his chest, then cleared the ball to keep the deficit a single goal. Just three minutes later, the Firebirds looked ready to even the score when midfielder Jack Wheeler made a run down the left side after a pass from midfield by Jason Crevar, but Surge goalkeeper Richard Goddardcharged out from the goal and made a dive at the ball, just deflecting the ball with his foot and stopping the threat. A few minutes later Crevar set up another good chance with a pass to Peter Gail at the top of the pentalty area, but he was knocked off the ball by a Surge defender before he could make the shot on goal.

Peter Gail controls the ball in front of the Surge net

In the 71st minute, the Firebirds had another good chance to even the score when a Peter Gail shot rebounded off Goddard to Crevar at the far post, but he was forced to make a quick shot in full stride, and it went barely over the bar. Six minutes later, the Surge doubled the lead when Galavis made a diagonal pass to Jason Aldous, who was making a run down the left side. He found himself in alone on Bryan Hill, and hit a hard shot to the far side to put the Surge up 2-0. The Surge were then awarded a penalty kick in the 87th minute when Hill collided with a Surge attacker at the same time that he collected the ball, but Hill saved well on the attempt from the Surge's Dustin Sackett.

But one minute later, the Surge did find the net after a long diagonal pass from midfield from Todd Dolan found Jason Aldous in stride, and his low shot from an extreme angle went through Hill's legs and into the net to make the final 3-0.

Jack Wheeler makes a difficult trap

Bryan Hill had seven saves for the Firebirds. The Surge's Richard Goddard recorded four saves.

Starters:
Firebirds: Hill, Babcock (Willoughby 60'), Wooten, Cronkrite (Jensen 73'), Crevar, Duncan, Gail, McCarty, Wheeler, Roth, McHardy
Surge: Goddard, Olsen (McDonald 46'), Galavis (Dolan 70'), Hander, Marfell (Aldous 46'), Sackett, Wareing, Bishop, Groome, Wheaton, Andrade (Blake 77')

Stats:
Shots: Firebirds 9, Surge 12
Saves: Firebirds 7, Surge 4
Fouls: Firebirds 9, Surge 11
Corner Kicks: Firebirds 2, Surge 6
Offsides: Firebirds 0, Surge 6
Cautions: Firebirds 1 (Crevar 51' yellow), Surge 0

Return to the home of the Willamette Valley Firebirds

Peter Gail goes for the header over Andrew Wareing