Kings 4 Rattlers 2
MEDICINE HAT — The RDC Kings knew going into Medicine Hat they needed to sweep a weekend doubleheader over the Rattlers if they had any thoughts of grabbing a playoff spot in the Alberta Colleges Men’s Soccer League.
Mission accomplished.
The Kings put together a 4-2 victory Sunday to go with a 1-0 win Saturday to move to within one point of the Rattlers for third place in the South Division.
“All the credit to the guys,” said Kings head coach Steve Fullarton. “They showed terrific character and desire to beat a team that doesn’t lose often at home.”
The Kings fell behind early Sunday, but Keegan Sheehan scored on a penalty kick to tie the game at 1-1 38 minutes into the game. Then keeper Brad Hughes pulled off his biggest save of the game midway through the first half, stopping a penalty kick.
“Great credit to Brad that gave us a big lift,” added Fullarton.
The Rattlers took a 2-1 lead at the half, but Curtis Playfair evened the count at 2-2 in the 68th minute and Chris Davies scored what proved to be the winner in the 75th minute.
Playfair put the game away with his second of the game in the 83rd minute.
“We found our scoring touch in the second half with three well-worked counter-attacking goals involving a number of players,” added Fullarton. “Our passing and ball movement in the final third was fantastic and caused Medicine Hat all kinds of problems.
“We changed our style of play the last few weeks and the way we’re playing allows for a cleaner transition from defending to attacking and visa versa,” said Fullarton. “The players have adapted well.”
The Kings sit with a 3-4-1 record with Medicine Hat at 3-3-2.
The Rattlers meet the undefeated SAIT Trojans twice to finish their regular schedule this weekend while the Kings entertain last-place Lethbridge Saturday and Mount Royal Sunday.
Queens 2 Rattlers 0
The Queens needed a win to maintain their hold on a playoff spot in the South Division and a 2-0 victory over the Rattlers did the trick.
The RDC squad sits in second place with a 4-3-1 record, one point ahead of third-place SAIT and four ahead of Medicine Hat.
The win came less than 24 hours after a 1-0 loss to the Rattlers.
“It was a win we needed for sure . . . it gave us a little breathing room,” said Queens head coach Jerry Gerling, who made a slight change in his attack prior to the game and it paid dividends.
“We moved Stephanie Tremblay up toward the middle on offence and she came through scoring both goals.”.
The first was on a header in the first half and second on a perfect penalty kick in the second.