League 1 BC gave us a new challenge when they announced the Semi-Final schedule for the men and the women:
TSS Rovers Women at Whitecaps, Friday, July 26, 6pm at Thunderbird Stadium, University of British Columbia.
TSS Rovers Men vs Harbourside. Friday July 26, 7pm at Swangard Stadium, Burnaby.
So we grumbled about the fact the league forced us into deciding which of our teams we were going to support for a solid week on the WhatsApp chat. We aired our grievances to the league, both in person, on social media, and via the League 1 BC website contact form.
Then some of us decided, fuck it, we’re going to try to go to both games. In 2 different cities. At the same time, on the same date. A presence at both matches. For both our teams, a possible date in the finals. For the women, an undefeated opponent, bolstered by a bunch of ringers from other parts of the world, in preparation for their cup competition. For our men, a rematch with the same Harbourside team that shut them out 3-0 just a week ago in a game that meant more for them that it did for the Rovers. Here’s how that all went down:
4:23pm – I arrive at Swangard Stadium, realize that Subway fucked up my order that I picked up on my way to help set up for the home game. Rough start to the outing. A bad omen? Gordie and Bernie are already putting ad boards in place. I’ve got flags, banners and drums dropped off at the Pirate Cove. We finish early and duck out to the parking lot for a quick beverage and make sure our I’s are dotted and our T’s are crossed.
4:50pm – More pirates arrive, as Colin drags out a folding table behind the Swanguardians bleachers and proudly puts the League 1 Cup on display on home turf.
5:15pm – Adam and Bernie leave Swangard and head for Thunderbird Stadium with more flags, banners, drum, and a megaphone.
6:00pm – We arrive at the plastic turf of UBC. Friday afternoon traffic, man. Plenty of parking. We purchase tickets (someone has to at this place), but spend long enough during the purchase to voice our displeasure to Whitecaps staff about the lack of….well, anything, to eat or drink. Kickoff has just commenced, and the group of early arrivals is already in our traditional spot at the front of the grandstand, roughly a half a mile from the pitch. There’s a good contingent of support for the Rovers in attendance – youth players, parents, friends. For the Whitecaps side, a lone supporter representing Rain City Brigade, and a few parents and friends higher up in the seats. The drum is set up, the Swanguardians flag is unfurled, and away we go.
Quick rant: the Whitecaps should be EMBARASSED with the lack of effort they put into any sort of game day experience. I know they don’t care, but they should be. It’s absolutely infuriating that the one club in this league with some financial might does SWEET F**K ALL for fans attending a game. It’s like they’re actively telling fans to stay away.
6:27pm – Whitecaps women strike first in the 21st minute. Aaah fuck.
6:37pm – Jenna Baxter is sent in all alone, but is turned away by the left foot of the Whitecaps’ Ringer keeper. We’re putting on some pressure, though.
6:39pm – Oof. Whitecaps score again. 2-0, 33 minutes in. Despite playing really well, our ladies trail by 2. This is starting to get a little worrying. We could really use a goal before half. We definitely can’t give up another one.
6:51pm – SOUND THE AIR RAID SIRENS! KATIE BISHOP WITH AN ABSOLUTE MISSILE FROM 28 YARDS OUT! The Bish-bomb makes it 2-1, as Ringer Keeper tried really hard, but could only get a piece as the ball ricochets back to her. The last play of the half in the first minute of stoppage time, and we’re right back in it.
6:55pm – Bernie departs for Swangard stadium at halftime, as planned. The rest of us steel ourselves for what will hopefully be a glorious 45 minutes (with as little stoppage time as possible, please!) We have the momentum! (And another game to be at)
7:06pm – Kickoff at Swangard. I have to assume the south end of the pitch is fired up and ready to go, as are we at the UBC library at a football field.
7:10pm – We’re underway at the ‘bird. Before anyone can say “Why is Tilly James playing up on the wing?” Tilly James is brought down in the penalty area. “PENALTY!” we scream. Wait…the referee is pointing at the spot! Penalty kick for the Rovers.
7:11pm – As Jenna Baxter grabs the ball for a chance to level the heavily favoured Whitecaps at UBC, Harbourside knocks out the ball for a corner kick at Swangard.
7:12pm – ROVERS GOALS! Are you kidding? Two goals at the same time! Double the smoke. As Jenna Baxter converts the penalty on one side of the city, Kian Proctor gets a foot on a Nik White header off the corner. 2-2 at UBC! 1-0 Rovers at home!
@yoursinsport/James Siddall @residualimage/AFTN
7:17pm – Folks, Tilly James is a Problem for the Whitecaps on the right side. It’s like watching the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. Meep! Meep! There goes Tilly James, making life miserable for the defenders. Meanwhile, over at Swangard, a Harbourside shot takes a deflection and gets past Justyn Sandhu, and we’re all tied up. Mind you, at UBC, we’re too busy to notice right away. The Rovers are starting to get chances. 2-2. 1-1.
7:20pm – “It’s 2-1” Jay says to our small group, looking up from his phone. “For who?” “Ivan scored” 2-1 for the good guys. Quite a start at Swangard. (But hey, maybe save some goals for us when we get there). 14 minutes gone there.

7:25pm – Kirstin Tynan saves the day, making a big stop to keep the women tied with the ‘Caps at 2. She’s done that a lot this year. Tilly James and Jenna Baxter are still giving the opponents fits. The lone ‘Caps fan hasn’t said much for the last few minutes. I think collars may be getting tight for the heavy favourites and their collection of ringers.
7:30pm – With the pressure on, Devon Kavanagh picks up a turnover, heads to the end-line, but can’t quite squeak one past the ringer on the short side. So close. A Whitecaps player goes down shortly after. We hope she’s ok. But we really don’t have time for stoppage time tonight, everyone.
7:40pm – Meep Meep! There goes our #4 Tilly James again, leaving a defender in the dust, but just missing the pass across as the keeper collects. 15 minutes to play. We’ve started discussing whether it goes straight to penalties or not, and debating what time we’ll actually get to Swangard if it’s still tied.
7:45pm – Stop me if you’ve heard this story before…Tilly James steals the ball, races away from a defender, and fires a cross into the box. The only person there is Jenna Baxter, but the volley is deflected over the bar. So close! 2-2 still here. 2-1 for our guys at Swangard. It’s definitely nervous times for the Whitecaps fan and parents. “C’mon Caps!” in a somewhat exasperated tone floats down from above.
7:46pm – We had chances, and didn’t convert. So the Whitecaps marching down the field and converting for a 3-2 lead with 10 minutes to play is somewhat deflating. “Don’t worry, the Stoppage Time Gods owe us one” we try to uplift ourselves a bit.
7:52pm – At Swangard, Massud Habibullah scores a beauty, and the Rovers men lead 3-1. Another goal today for the Rovers at 45+1′. And they were both excellent. The men take the momentum into the break.
7:55pm – This is a recording. Tilly James dusts a defender. Fires a beautiful ball into the box. Juuust past the foot of Jenna Baxter. The Ringer in goal collects. The 4th official is indicating 6 minutes of added time. Well, it’s now or never, I suppose. Meanwhile, at Swangard, the sprinklers are probably on at halftime.
7:56pm – The Whitecaps work a beautiful passing play up the field, and break our hearts, going up 4-2 at the start of the stoppage time. One of the ringers. A Welsh International player. You could literally see the heads hanging at this point. Didn’t matter. “Courage, Rovers….”, but the writing is now on the wall.
8:01pm – That’s all for the Rovers women. An absolutely fierce battle against a might opponent. One who beat us handily to start the season, 7-0. This time they had a bunch of ringers, and we took ’em to the bitter end. We headed down to field level to thank our team for an incredible season. There will be a time and place to laud their efforts, but for now, we had to haul ass to Swangard.
8:02pm – Rolling the flag up as I ran up the stairs, we jammed banners into the pail, and grabbed our gear. Sprinting up the stairs and into the vehicles, we made the 19km journey in under the suggested time on Google Maps, while respecting a good number of the posted speed limits.
8:10pm – Second half begins at Swangard.
8:27pm – The 6 of us arrive, in 3 separate vehicles. Rich and Paul took the Central Park lot near the swimming pool (Did you know that swimming pool was used in a scene in Twilight? I don’t particularly care, but my niece loves that stuff). They booked it in the unmanned entrance at the south end. THEY BOUGHT TICKETS, IT’S OK! Stephen parked around the far side in the small lot next to the stadium and hustled around.
Me? If it wasn’t a brand-new track at Swangard, I probably would have driven the Subaru right on to the grass behind the south goal. But I don’t want that track wrecked again, so we pulled in and parked inside the stadium off to the side. James, Jay and I disembarked, and made it down in the 69th minute. Food was available. (DID YOU HEAR THAT, WHITECAPS????)
@residualimage/AFTN @yoursinsport/James Siddall
We walked in to a joyous atmosphere. The Rovers attacked the south goal in the second half, and with the lead, our group engaged Cal Weir (Mr. “Don’t be stupid and disrespectful” Himself) for the remainder of the night. Koji Poon scored a fantastic header off a corner, and that was about that. 4-1 to the Rovers. We sang, we shouted, we smoked them out-ed.
8:57pm – Stoppage time didn’t matter on this night. We’re moving on to the final. A chance at a second playoff championship. A chance to be the first men’s team to do a double in League 1 history. At the end, the players came to celebrate with our group, and brought a guest. League 1 commisioner Stuart Neely presented Justyn Sandhu with the League 1 Goalkeeper of the Year Award. Then, he presented Nik White with the League 1 Defender of the Year Award. Then, we presented Nik White with our Swanguardians men’s Player of the Year Award. Then we celebrated some more.
9:30pm – After cleaning up, several folks congregated back in the parking lot to finish off the cooler. As we were getting ready to leave, Nik White walked by, and we gave him our last can of Craft Lager. Nik White, our player of the Year. League 1’s defender of the Year. Harvard University’s Student Athlete of the Year. Dude and his brother brought us sandwiches earlier in the season. These are the kind of people you get to be around. There’s dozens of stories we have of our players being amazing athletes, and better human beings.
Our season will officially end, one way or another, on the Sunday of the BC day long weekend, where it should. Swangard Stadium. 4pm. Men vs Altitude. The Ironworkers’ Derby, with a little bit more on the line. We’re having a barbecue in Central Park beforehand, while the Whitecaps look to finish an undefeated season against first-year Burnaby FC (the Burnabeagles) in the Womens final at 1pm. Do consider joining in the fun.
So. 2 games, in 2 different cities, at the same time. 1 win, 1 hard-fought loss. A pretty cool story, though.
@residualimage/AFTN @residualimage/AFTN