The UNBC Timberwolves had a pair of breakaway opportunities roll wide and dug themselves a hole they couldn’t get out of, falling 2-1 to the Calgary Dinos on Sunday in Calgary.
In the eighth minute, it was the Timberwolves who nearly got on the board. Michael Henman was sprung on a break but his low shot was knocked out of play by Dinos goalkeeper Liam Hunter, keeping it scoreless.
As it so often happens in sport, the Dinos made the TWolves pay for their missed opportunity just minutes later. Kundai Dziwa would work his way into the box and beat Daniel Zadravec short side to open the scoring in the 11th minute.
UNBC nearly responded two minutes later, exploiting the small pitch the Dinos call home, as Gregor Smith was sent in on a breakaway of his own, but his low shot rolled wide of the far post. Somehow, despite a pair of breakaway opportunities, the Timberwolves were yet to get on the scoresheet.
The windy conditions became a major factor for both sides the rest of the half as long balls skidded out of bounds and short passes didn’t arrive with the intended pace. Eventually, the referee blew the whistle with the TWolves knowing they had left some serious scoring chances unfulfilled.
After a mostly muted second half, it was the Dinos doubling their lead off a broken play in the Timberwolves defensive third. After a turnover and slip by a UNBC defender, Edomias Nesibu sent a ball into the box, finding William Omoreniye who had time and space to turn and beat a sprawling Zadravec, making it 2-0.
With Calgary settling into a more defensive structure, the TWolves were facing a two-goal deficit and some tough conditions as the wind picked up at field level.
In the 82nd minute, UNBC would cut into the deficit as substitute Noah Ballinger would find Michael Henman who cut into the middle and beat Liam Hunter with a low shot to make it 2-1 late in the match. The goal was Henman’s fourth in the last three games.
However, the clock was their enemy, and eventually the Timberwolves ran out of time, falling 2-1 to the Dinos.
With the loss, UNBC falls to 1-5-1 and gets ready tom head home to host the Alberta Golden Bears and Lethbridge Pronghorns next weekend at Masich Place.