Pinnacles now hoping to make playoff push
One big win and some favourable results involving the teams nearest to them in the standings has got the Penticton Tim Hortons Pinnacles thinking playoffs.
After handing Vancouver United their first loss of the season in their final home game last weekend, the Pinnacles finish with a challenging five straight road fixtures in Pacific Coast Soccer League Premier Men’s Division play.
The Pinnacles play the Abbotsford Devils on Saturday at 4 p.m. and the return game against Vancouver United on Sunday at 2 p.m.
“We’re back in the hunt, we’ve got a game in hand on the teams just in front of us and we’re going with the mentality of trying to get two wins this weekend,” said assistant coach Manuel Borba. “Nobody pulled away from us after we lost a few games there, and now we have as good a chance as anyone.”
The Pinnacles (2-4-1) are three points behind Abbotsford, Kamloops and Victoria, who are all tied for third place, and two points ahead of last-place Mid-Isle Mariners.
Including Penticton, two of those five teams will make the playoffs and three won’t.
“We picked up some results against the two top teams and now we have the confidence we can beat anyone,” said Borba. “Obviously teams are stronger at home, but we’re coming in relaxed and feeling like we’ve got nothing to lose. A lot of people counted us out.”
The Pinnacles defeated Vancouver 2-1 in Marinus Barendregt’s debut as head coach. Borba had been head coach on an interim basis until the arrival of the highly regarded coach from Excelsior Rotterdam in Holland.
“Marinus is a professional coach and he really got us playing a more structured game,” said Borba.
“He has been concentrating on the defensive part of the game and it’s been a good learning curve for the players and for myself as a coach.”
Borba noted the return of midfield vets James Fraser and Andre Perez was also pivotal. Fraser scored both goals after missing action due to a rib injury.
Borba stressed Barendregt is not afraid to use the young players either, with two 17-year-old centrebacks and a 16-year-old fullback among four local under-17 players starting against Vancouver.
“He plays the guys who show in training that they deserve to play,” said Borba. “The focus is on using local guys and he isn’t worried about their age.”
Borba said the Pinnacles are almost completely healthy now going into a vital game against Abbotsford (3-4-1). The Devils beat the Pinnacles 3-0 two weeks ago in Penticton.
“We deserved a lot better fate in that one,” said Borba. “That should give us a little extra jump, especially against a team we are trying to catch for a playoff spot.”
The Pinnacles finish up against three other teams they are battling for playoff position with — July 14 at Kamloops, July 21 at Mid-Isle and July 22 against Victoria.
The Sheila Anderson Memorial Challenge Cup playoffs are July 28-29 at Gates Park in Coquitlam.