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Athletic eliminated in Trag Cup semis
Tuesday July 29 2008 The Orangeville Athletic travelled to Innisfil Beach for the Traganitis Cup semifinal on Sunday afternoon and came out on the losing end of a 2-0 score.  
The Allto Construction Athletic, who play in the York Region Soccer League’s premier division, gave Innisfil everything they had as the game was forced to extra time after the teams were tied 0-0 after 90 minutes.
Orangeville almost had the opening goal after only 10 minutes when James Willemse hammered a free kick from 25 yards out that bent around the Innisfil wall but was denied by the cross bar. Athletic goalkeeper Dan Cornelius made some key saves to keep the score tied at 0-0.
After 90 minutes of play, the teams went to extra time where they would play an additional 30 minutes. The Athletic were given an extra blow when Dave Loftus was issued a red card after 101 minutes of play, forcing the Athletic to finish the game with only 10 men.  
Innisfil broke the tie in the 108th minute when a shot from outside the box hit the post and bounced directly to an Innisfil player in front of the net, who made no mistake burying the ball into the empty net. The Athletic pressed forward trying to find that dramatic equalizer. Orangeville had a chance for a penalty shot in the dying minutes as Neil Russell was taken down inside the box, but the referee allowed play to carry on.  
Orangeville earned some dangerous corner kicks in the dying minutes but the tying goal was not to be. Innisfil put the game out of reach with two minutes remaining in extra time as they broke out on transition as the Athletic had everyone pressing forward.  That made the score 2-0 and eliminated Orangeville from the Traganitis Cup competition.
In league action on Thursday the Athletic gave up a late goal to only earn a tie with Orillia SC. Orangeville needed a victory to put them within one point of Orillia in the YRSL standings, while still having a game in hand on them.
The game started off in favour of Orillia, as a broken play in the Orangeville goal-mouth fell to an Orillia player who buried a shot into the Athletic net after only 15 minutes of play. Orangeville bounced back quickly as Guilio Baldassarra latched onto a long through ball and fired a shot that beat the Orillia goalkeeper. The Athletic took the lead just before the half as Dave Fuller chased down an Orillia defender and forced him into misplaying the ball back towards his own net and over his own goalkeeper.
The second half was tightly played as Orangeville tried to hold onto their one-goal lead. With only 10 minutes remaining Orillia fired the ball from an awkward angle that fooled the Orangeville keeper and hit the top corner of the net. Nothing changed in the final minutes of play as the Athletic had to settle for a disappointing draw.
The Athletic will host the Barrie Spirit in league action tonight (Tuesday) at Rotary Park. Kick-off is 8:30 p.m.

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