The Allto Construction Athletics represented Orangeville very strongly in the Fall Session of the Central-West Indoor Soccer League (played out of the Brampton Agricultural Centre).

The squad finished the 12 week session with an impressive 5-4-3 record, earning them third place in the table of six teams.

The Athletics have been on a mission to recruit some young, eager players who are looking to commit themselves for the 2009 outdoor season.

Team management was very happy as they took on seven new faces into the squad, some of them who hadn't played competitive soccer in many years.

The remainder of 15 man squad consisted of four premier team players and four united team players. Overall it proved to be an excellent mix of talent, grit and heart. Most importantly, the team chemistry came together through the latter stages of the session which was rewarded by results.

The Athletics got off to a slow start for the session, posting three consecutive losses, allowing a total of 13 goals against.

After making a few minor positional changes and an overall increase in the entire team intensity and effort, the squad went on to go undefeated in the remaining nine games finishing with five wins and four ties.

Special recognition goes out to team goalie Peter Simms, who finished the session off with the lowest goals against total in the league (20 goals) and only allowed seven goals in the remaining nine games.

Kudos also go out to Peter Kirchberger, who was the defensive rock in the central defensive position and true team leader on the field.

On the offensive side, Gavin Hill was a force to be reckoned with. After playing himself into a starting eleven spot on the 2008 outdoor premier team, he has continued to work hard and improve his game. Hill transformed himself into an all around player who is an offensive threat whenever he is on the field and is also very responsible defensively.

The third place finish earned the Athletics a semi-final berth against the second place Tiger Uppercuts.

The Uppercuts finished only two points ahead of the Allto Athletics, so this was always going to be a tight match up. In there previous two encounters, Allto had won the first game 2-0 and then the teams had tied 3-3 in the rematch.

The game started out very evenly.

Allto goalie, Simms, was forced to make a couple of remarkable saves to keep the game scoreless. Allto went ahead late in the first half when Ryan Young turned with the ball just outside the 18 yard box and blasted a shot high into the top right corner past the Tiger Uppercut keeper. Allto went into the break ahead 1-0.

The second half started out very much like the first, as both teams fought hard for every loose ball. Both teams were playing very physical as the winner of the game would proceed to the championship game.

Allto looked to be in the driver seat when after 10 minutes into the second half, Gavin Hill broke into the oppositions end of the field and riffled a shot past the goalie to give the Athletics a 2-0 lead.

However, the Uppercuts did not give up. They responded very shortly after that, when on a free kick from just outside the 18 yard box, the ball deflected off the wall and drifted into the low right hand corner of the net.

Not long after that goal the game was tied up when a long ball was sent into the box from the right flank and headed home past Simms by the Uppercut striker.

The Uppercuts had definitely taken the momentum of the game away from the Athletics with plenty of time still to play.

he next six minutes was very tightly played by both teams with the Uppercuts enjoying the majority of possession. With four minutes to go, the Uppercuts went ahead for good when they stripped the ball deep in the Athletics half and stormed in with numbers against Simms and his defense.

The Uppercuts midfielder sent a low rocket into the bottom right hand corner of the net just out of Simms' reach.

The Athletics fought to the end but were unsuccessful in tying the game up. After leading by two goals the squad was very disappointed not to be competing against World FC in the championship match.

However, the Athletics will look to build on there successes when they compete in the winter session of the Central-West Indoor season.

Given the semi-final loss, the squad will be that much hungrier for championship silverware in the winter session.