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gW Pau- awn-"0° Ctteetitst.rtt1reit1qr,f_1qtet, t. "" "'or'starttttytttettrabwtt.i-;-uaioer A's plight is not desperate by any means as they presently hold down seventh place in the 13-team loop with a 3-3-3 record. But Sunday was definitely not one of their better games as fundamental plays were botched and good scoring chances frittered away. Only a penalty-kick goal by Tom Abbott with three minutes left saved the A's from being whitewashed. The visitors scored twice in the first half and again in the second before Abbott was awarded his kick after a crease infraction probably prevented him from scor- ing a__sure goal. By Rick Campbell Chronicle Sports Editor Judging try their performance in a 3-1 loss to Clark- son Sunday afternoon, Waterloo Athletic A's are not the team they were one year ago when they finished in third place and were finalists in Ontario Amateur Soc- cer Development League Cup play. "During last winter we trained for three months to put together one particular team," he said under the Seagram Stadium stands. "But right at the beginning of the season one of our top players was hurt, and another, Steve McNab went to another club. It is like taking a quarterback away from a football team, and expecting them to keep winning. All that blackboard work and practice in the gym we did during the winter went right down the drain. You just can't expect to put in new players and expect the club to jell right away." T But A's coach Harko Wassing is quick to point out that it is the players who are not playing on his team, not those who are, who have affected the club’s per- formance most. "s'siiahaiour chances, especially in the first half, but the story has been the same for us for most of the year, we just can't finish," said Wassing_. Although he did not speak out vengefully against them, Wassing indicated that some Kitchener and District Soccer League teams have "influenced" some prospective players from his club. One such club, Village Athletics of the KDSL second division, is based solely on a youth movement which includes se- veral fine Waterloo players. So ironically, A's have had to resort to looking to Toronto to augment their lineup with such players as Geoff Otto, Darko Sporcic. Rainer Pade and Graham Foster. none of whom attended their training camp. “We have a tremendous minor system here in Wa- terloo yet by the time they can play for our team the others teams snap them up," said Wassing. “I don't really know why they go to the KDSL because our league is the one to be playing in if youngsters have hopes of advancing anywhere In soccer, Many of the KDSL players are over the hill, and with the new Im- port rules coming in for the NASL (North American Soccer League), they will be looking at the 16-20 year- old players as future prospects " Mike Cato of Clarkson (centre striped shirt). does a delicate balancing act with the ball as A's Walt Bazerwicz (left) and Bob de Groot (right) close in to ddend. In. miny of their coritestS this year A's have started A/s scramble to 'tmt it together' Rick Morratta of Clarkson (striped shirt) guards the ball from Waterloo A's Geoff Otto as both slip during action in Sunday's game won by Clarkson 3-1. slowly but come on like gangbusters offensively, Un- Clarkson, which is third in the OASDL. opened th fortunately their greatest problem is a lack of polish scoring at 21 minutes when John Figueredo lofted around the net which has cost them dearly. In addi- soft, sharp-angled shot over goalie Andy Christie fror tion, because of player unfamiliarity. Wassing and as- the right side. sistant coach Jim Ford are constantly shuffling per- Then at 36 minutes Peter Poulson made the play ( sonnel depending on trends spotted during each game the game when he sliced through the Waterloo defer "We ha've to Gitt sometimes. if your attack has no punch you have to keep on looking for the right com- bination," said Wassing, A Sunday the bigger CISrkson Side came out physical- ly against the A's and took the initiative for most of the half “I don't think we were over-matched Maybe we should have body<rhecked them back but that's not the game we play." said the Waterloo coach EhrOniEIe’ Spdrts Line 886-2830 A's had a chance to narrow the gap when Abbott was on the reeewmg end of a mid-field pass and went In alone But he too was pressed and while attempt to direct a shot past Clarkson goalie Wayne Dunn wi the outside of his foot, watched It go spinning a few feet wide Clarkson. which is third in the OASDL. opened the scoring at 21 minutes when John Figueredo lofted a soft, sharp-angled shot over goalie Andy Christie from the right side. Then at 36 minutes Peter Poulson made the play of the game when he sliced through the Waterloo defen- ce just past mid-field, went in alone on Christie and drilled a high shot to the left side of the net, making the count 24). Christie redeemed himself for his indifference on the first goal just before the half when he made a superlative diving save on Clarkson's Steve Hughes. Hughes picked up the rebound in close quarters but rushed his second shot and missed the net Scarborough Leafs 1Tmrold Clarkson Dundas Guelph Scarborough Nationals Waterloo A OakVIlle lT-2l Oakville USF North York Cosmos Brantford North York Falcons Hamilton Games Wednesday Thorold at Watcrioo Athletics. Selma. 7:30 Games 8-day Waterloo Athletics at Brantford. 2 00. Hamilton at Scarborough Nationals. 3 oo, Oakville U-21 at North York Cosmos. 2 00. Thorold at Guelph. 3 00. Dundas at Clarkson. 12m The visitors iced the game at 23 minutes 9! the se- cond half when Dale Hinrichson dashed in on the left side and beat Christie in a foot race to the ball. which he calmly directed into the sprawling cage A's did not give up, but continually failed to execute the final pass or shot needed to draw them closer Mr bott averted the shutout when he drilled a low shot past Dunn on the penalty kick near the end . A's have a gawk at Seagram against the red-hot second place Thomld club tomght at 7 30 p m , but after that Wassmg says their schedule tret? easier "Thank Mei: too." he said "Our goal mght now IS fourth place and to do that we need to win at least SIX of our remaining games .. Ontario Amateur Soccer Deveiopmeu League 21 21 15 20 ll 17 16 32 10 I3 18 I2 ll " 16 l9 " 15 18 l9 ll 10 10