Tigers tie Capers, 1-1

By Corey LeBlanc 

SYDNEY – In an early season Atlantic University Sport (AUS) men's soccer match-up, the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (2-0-1) and Dalhousie Tigers (0-0-2) played to a 1-1 tie on Saturday afternoon at Ness Timmons Soccer Field. 

First-year Caper Joe Mac (Toronto, ON) notched the game-tying marker in the 86th minute to salvage the draw on home turf.  

The late tally came off a strike from just outside the top of the box from Jamie Nicholson (North Petherton, UK), who was turned aside by a diving save from Dalhousie keeper Sinclair Astridge (Victoria, BC), but Mac gobbled up the rebound and put it in the back of the net.  

The second half of the contest was punctuated by a handful of torrential downpours that affected the play for both sides. 

In the first half, the visitors, with the wind at their backs, took an early 1-0 edge, on a header from Jack Ellis (Liverpool, ENG), the Dalhousie player of the match; he completed a three-way play – the third of consecutive headers in the box – off a free kick from Luke Berryman (Halifax, NS). 

Less than two minutes later, the Tigers garnered a golden opportunity to double their advantage, but Caper all-star goalkeeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keynes, ENG) made a sensational soaring stop on a hard strike from Mo Tolba (Stellarton, NS). 

The Capers created their first quality opportunity after Nicholson was hauled down making a run. Tiger keeper Astridge dove to his left to make a top-notch save on the subsequent free kick from Max Piepgrass (Calgary, AB) - the Subway Caper player of the match.  

Caper striker Owen Sheppard (St. John's, NL) got a chance with a left-footer to knot the contest, but Astridge thwarted the attempt. 

Jacob Spizzirri (Woodbridge, ON), with one of his speedy runs down the wing during the first half, created a corner kick chance for the home side, but they came up empty. 

Piepgrass, showing his defensive chops, negated a free-kick chance for the Tigers as the half progressed. 

In the 40th minute, off a great diagonal ball from Sebastian Cochrane (Toronto, ON), Spizzirri darted in and slammed a hard shot off the outside of the net. 

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead to the locker room at halftime. 

Early in the second half, the Capers garnered an early free kick from Piepgrass and a corner kick from first-year wing Harvey Hughes (Southampton, ENG), but they could not collect the equalizer.  

In the 63rd minute, Spizzirri – once again – challenged Astridge, but the Dal keeper made the stop. 

Two minutes later, the CBU veteran challenged with a short-side shot, but he came up empty. 

Spizzirri, who took a lead pass and then put a spin move on the Dal defender, crossed the ball to Cochrane, whose shot was turned aside by Astridge. 

Off a later free kick, Astridge made a stellar sliding stop on Amadou Bayo (Montreal, QC). 

In stoppage time, Nickolas Shifrin took a cross from Nicholson but his redirection trickled wide of the far post.  

Mac secured another chance in the final minutes, but Astridge soared and deflected the strike over the crossbar with his left hand.  

In the final seconds, the Capers collected three consecutive corner kicks, but they could not engineer the game-winning marker. 

The Capers will return to home turf on Sunday, Sept. 8, when they welcome the Acadia Axemen to Ness Timmons Field, while the Tigers will visit Antigonish to face the STFX X-Men. Kick-off for both matches is 3:15 p.m. ADT.