SHORT-HANDED ASTROS DEFEAT ST. CATHARINES WOLVES WEDNESDAY

A short-handed North York Astros survived a second half send-off to defeat St. Catharines Wolves by a decisive 3-0 score at Club Roma in St. Catharines, the only game played in the Canadian Soccer League Wednesday night.

Following an evenly played, scoreless first half, North York took the lead at the 50^th minute mark when defender Lorence Notaro drove the ball from 30 yards to the left of the St. Catharines goal to hit the crossbar before entering the net off Wolves’ goalkeeper Claudio Perri.

Seven minutes later, Astros’ midfielder Allan Fernando Cordon was handed a second caution and red card by referee Armando Pereira following an untidy challenge, but while playing short-handed the visitors pressed and increased their lead when forward Sean Beck came off the bench to find the net from 15 yards, a 2-0 score at 83 minutes.

St. Catharines came close to narrowing the score, with forward Abu Kamara being the most prominent, but it was North York that found the net in the closing minutes when Beck struck his second from a breakaway to score at the 88^th minute mark.

The Astros exchange the bottom position with St. Catharines as a result of the victory with the Garden City side now at the foot of the table with a 1-11-1 WLT record for 4 points, while North York Astros improve to 2-12-1 for 7 points and 15^th in the standings.

Both teams are at home this coming Sunday when the Astros host SC Toronto at Esther Shiner Stadium, that’s a 5.30 pm kickoff and St. Catharines are visited by Windsor Stars at Club Roma, that’s an 8 pm start.