North York
Mirror: Winless slump plagues Astros
by DJT
Winless slump plagues Astros
By SAM LASKARIS Special to The
Mirror
The North York Astros are in a bit of a mid-season slump as their
winless streak extended to three games on the weekend.
Yet the local
Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL) franchise picked up some points
yesterday without even playing a game.
The Astros were awarded a pair of
points for a tie incurred earlier in the season against Mississauga-based
Toronto Croatia.
Toronto Croatia ended up losing seven points from three
regular season games as they used an ineligible player in those
matches.
North York, which had been awarded one point before for the tie,
was given an additional two points as the outcome of that tilt has been changed
to an Astros victory (CPSL squads receive three points for a win).
The
team's record now stands at 4-5-3. North York sits in seventh place in the
12-team CPSL standings.
North York's general manager Bruno Ierullo didn't
mind picking up some points in the boardroom.
"If they're justifiable
(why not?)," he said.
Ierullo though, was not pleased with the
officiating in his club's 2-0 home loss against the Ottawa Wizards
Sunday.
The Astros have sent a copy of the game tape to league officials
so they can view how the match was refereed.
North York played the
majority of that game a man short after one of its players received a red card
early on.
Though his side is in a slump, Astros coach Tony Laferrara said
his charges have been playing well.
"We've been playing very, very well,"
he said. "We're just not getting the breaks. That's the way our whole season has
gone."
The Astros next game is this Sunday at home against the Toronto
Olympians. That game, which begins at 7 p.m. at Esther Shiner Stadium, is a
league Cup match - part of a season long tourney with its own standings and
trophy.
The Astros, who have a 0-1-1 cup record, will not be advancing to
the Cup semifinals.
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