Under the lights

P.E.I. F.C. plays Codiac at home tonight

SoccerStop P.E.I. F.C. plays their final home game of the season tonight at UPEI.

Soccer Stop P.E.I. F.C. players aren’t ready to pack it in, having already clinched the McCain New Brunswick Premier Soccer League title.

P.E.I. F.C. (7-0-3) hosts Codiac First Touch (4-6-0) tonight at 7:30 p.m. at UPEI before concluding the season Sunday at 2 p.m. against Codiac at Harrison Trimble High School in Moncton.

“We’re not thinking the job is finished yet,” said Island striker Jared Murphy. “It would be great to finish off the season with no losses.”

P.E.I. F.C. players want to continue to build on the season as it prepares for the nationals in Calgary from Oct. 7 to 12.

“Every game between then and now is important to us,” Murphy said. “We’re going to try and finish off the season with two wins.”

The Island team leads the circuit in goals scored with 25 while it has allowed the fewest with nine in 10 games. Fredericton has scored the second most with 14 while Codiac has allowed the second fewest with 12.

P.E.I. is 2-0 against Codiac this season with both games being decided by a goal. Murphy said Codiac has a number of players from the Université de Moncton squad and they always play P.E.I. hard.

P.E.I. F.C. will be without its top scorer this weekend as Matt Thomson, who has six goals this year, has previous commitments. Murphy said it is a loss, but one the team is prepared for with its depth and young players gaining confidence this season.

“Matt has been playing great this season for us, but I think a lot of guys on the team have been stepping up and scoring goals.”

Brett Hogan scored three times Sunday and sits second on the team this season with four while Adam Lowther and Alex O’Brien each have three.

The team had a light training session Thursday as it prepared for a rare Friday night home game.

“I think guys are excited to play under the lights,” Murphy said. “It’s always a treat for guys.”