Now the Strikers must sit and stew

As it tough as their Thursdaynight loss may have been, even tougher for the Conception Bay South/That Pro Look Strikers might be the fact that they’ll have so long to dwell on that defeat before their next game or, on the other hand, take advantage of any morale-boosting that came with a gutsy effort.

The Strikers (0-15-3), winless in 18 contests this season, came oh, so close to what would have been a surprising and moraleboosting result Thursday at the Topsail Turf Complex. They came back twice in the last 20 minutes to pull even with league-leading Holy Cross Kirby Group, only to see the Crusaders’ Owen McAleese score with just over five minutes remaining to give Holy Cross a 3-2 win.

Now, the Strikers — who have played three more games than anyone else in the league — must wait until Aug. 6 for their next outing, while the rest of the Challenge Cup teams catch up.

That process begins this weekend, with five games on the schedule, including two in St. Lawrence, where the Labatt Laurentians play host to the Canada Games Gerry O’Brien Financial team today (6 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.)

Steers Financial Corner Brook United is another club on a weekend road trip, taking on Holy Cross at King George V today (6 p.m.) and Feildians at KGV on Sunday (noon).

Feildians also play today as they meet Mount Pearl First Choice Haircutters at the Gushue Complex at 4 p.m. These are important games, what with only six points separating the league’s top four teams.