Huron United settles for a draw against defending TMSL champions

The Huron United Football Club faced its toughest test of the fledgling Tri-City Men's Soccer League (TMSL) season, June 3, with defending league and playoff champions, the Oriental SC B, coming to Spinrite Field in Listowel.

A spirited affair saw the title holders spend much of the game on the back foot, with Huron United out-chancing the opposition but settling for a 2-2 draw.

In the early going, Adam Carty, Andrew Wiegersma, Drew Cobean, and Jihu Kim combined in attack to test Oriental’s keeper with some threatening entreaties on goal. It was Oriental that broke through in the 21st minute with a goal off a turnover, after Huron United keeper Josh Coleman had parried away the first several chances generated by the Kitchener-Waterloo club. 

On the defensive end, fullbacks Charlie Hall-Elwood and Angus Sharpe patrolled the flanks to great effect, while substitutes Cam Fletcher and Simon Andonian exerted control through the midfield.

Huron United's strong attacking half culminated in a gritty goal by striker Jason Leiskau moments before half-time to level the score at 1-1. Centre-back Masoom Saromie hammered a skipping through ball into the Oriental half in the 44th minute. Leiskau won the ensuing race to the ball and then out-muscled the collapsing Oriental backline to step around the keeper and slot home the equalizer.

A. Carty nearly gave Huron United a lead moments into the second, but his well-taken free kick whistled just past the top left corner. Huron United’s run of attacking possession continued on the strength of the clever passing of midfielders Adam Holley and Riley Cherrett, each making his season debut for Huron United.

Another Huron United near miss came off the boot of Kim, who finessed a swinging shot from distance that escaped the Oriental keeper but was denied by the woodwork. 

Oriental managed to withstand the barrage of Huron United chances to strike back against the run of play in the 72nd minute. A fantastic individual effort saw Oriental’s striker hold off multiple Huron United defenders before smashing the ball into the top left corner to take a 2-1 lead.

Huron United responded well to the setback, reverting to its press and earning a free kick on the left side of the box in the 76th minute. Sharpe’s immaculate free kick curled right onto the head of Cobean, who nodded the ball into the bottom corner to tie the score.

Huron United continued to demonstrate its set piece prowess, generating narrow misses by Andrew Wiegersma on a driven free kick and several quality opportunities off corner kicks.

The final whistle came as a relief to Oriental which had to battle through the match’s closing stages against Huron United’s unrelenting waves of attack to preserve the 2-2 draw.

The squad voted Coleman as Man of the Match with honourable mentions shared by Holley, Leiskau, and Kim.

Huron United is playing out of the Tri-City Men's Soccer League again this season, and its next match is against Red FC, Tuesday, June 10, at Spinrite Field, Listowel. The team’s roster is composed of players from Kincardine, Port Elgin, and surrounding areas, playing under the Saugeen Shores United Football Club. The club can be followed at www.kdslsoccer.com/teams/default.asp?u=KDSL&s=soccer&p=home.