Toronto Lynx will play the CPSL Brampton Hitmen Sunday April 25th but at 4:00pm at The Ontario Soccer Centre (Martin Grove north of Steeles Ave W). They will use the outdoor field turf.

Today at The Hangar (Downsview Airport) in North York the team held a practice and replayed a tape of last week's 1-0 overtime win in Puerto Rico. That lone goal looked like it was kicked in by a defender who appeared to not even try to lift it over the net or kick it wide. If he'd have missed it a Lynx player was ready for a two yard tap-in. Coach Duncan Wilde said the Islanders will beat a few teams at home later this year but expects the Montreal Impact should win this weekend.

At about noon, the team played a 6 on 6 match on half field/half sized nets/no throw-ins rules, against Toronto Futsal Palace All Stars. Lynx scored three goals in the second half in a 3-1 win. Tryout player Darren Baxter from England scored the first two; one on a 10 yard blast to the top left corner and the other pinballed off two defenders a few minutes later. Jamie Dodds scored on a shot from 7 yards. The All Stars got a late goal past Cam McKay (apprentice U-19 goalie) on a scissor kick. Players were rotated in quite often by the Lynx while the All Stars had about nine players. Adrian Serioux looked the best player for the Lynx today and also on the Puerto Rico game video for the part I watched. About eight Lynx players just watched in the stands.

The Lynx cut Scottish player Chris O'Neil on Monday. They are trying out English Darren Baxter and also had John Valentine into today's game.

The Lynx have already played Brampton Hitmen within the last two weeks and beat them 8-0. Lynx had only twelve players while the Hitmen had twenty-two at their selection tryout. Lynx have had a four week head start on training. Hitmen should be getting better and I'll judge them for myself tomorrow.

All kinds of rumours about why the game was cancelled/reinstated were flying around. Some of them: Hitmen didn't want to be embarrassed (or the CPSL didn't want to be embarrassed by another blow-out). Let the CPSL take the heat for the team. Victoria Park in Brampton wasn't available. Let's call this game just a 'scrimmage' instead. They don't want anyone to go HOWEVER today they did want people to turn up and except for Alfons Rubbens (Inside Soccer), Saul Markowitz (Nuke Soccer) and myself, the only fans were those who were passing through on their way for soccer, beach volleyball, or baseball tryouts. (The Hangar's new management is supposedly encouraging non-soccer activities). The pizza and pop ended up being given away to the players and us. The kiddies' blow-up castle couldn't be inflated because there was no generator pump.

So tomorrow then! Remember it's not an official game so the password (from the Monty Python or Cheech & Chong bit or even one of mine) is "I hear the gooseberries are in season…and so are the mangos (nudge, nudge)" or "Dave's not here man" or "Don't you think the new leader of Spain looks like Mr Bean?"

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

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