After a unsatisfying victory last week, the Octopi squad were hungry for a cleaner and more decisive win this Wednesday when they took the field against Right Back on the Bench (RBOTB). It was a cool evening at Thunderbird. Although the Octopi was missing star defender Brenton Walters (who was rumoured to be contemplating a trade to a South Vancouver team), the team felt confident.
Their confidence was reinforced when within the first two minutes, the team flew into RBOTB’s half and set up a gorgeous goal by star striker Erin Loxam. The crowd on the sideline went wild with chants of “Loxy, Loxy!” After a few more dangerous thrusts into their opponents goal area, momentum of the game gradually turned against Octopi. RBOTB players turned on the afterburners and consistently managed to win 50/50 balls. Gradually the game shifted against the boys and girls in pink. After a throw in from the far side of the field, RBOTB’s long haired star managed to streak past the Octopi defence and sneak a goal past all-star keeper David Willinsky to bring the score back to 1-1.
Commentators aren’t sure what sort of pep talk happened during the break, but at the second half, a whole new pink team came on the field. More talking and a fiercer determination to make the ball their own paid off. Passes were as crisp as you’d see in an MLS game. Quick passes back and forth kept the RBOTB’s team running circles. Then a foul in the box allowed striker John Horn to nail a penalty kick putting Octopi ahead 2-1. Later in the second half of the game, one of RBOTB’s dirtiest players turned over the ball in the box and star striker Erin Loxam was able to capitalize hammering a goal in at close range and making it 3-1 Octopi.
Late in the game things started to get chippy. Both sides were going hard in and tempers started to flair. When the final whistle was blown, there was a collective sigh of relief among the non “type A” personality players. The win puts Octopi in the top four of the league and sets them on a course to take on Nomads FC – the team of British whipper-snappers who destroyed them in their inaugural game of the season.
Octopi manager Kurt Heinrich says the team isn’t intimidated in the slightest.
“We’re actually looking forward to a rematch with Nomads FC,” says Heinrich. “This time, it’ll be different.”