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The full house of 3,207 fans left Keith Harris stadium happy. Coaches Marc Dos Santos and Martin Nash left delighted. FC Edmonton left disgruntled and Tom Heinemann was so ecstatic that he kissed a pitchside camera lens after scoring the goal that gave Ottawa Fury FC a 1-0 win in the newest battle of Canada.

It lifted Fury FC’s NASL points tally to 12 points, sufficient to move into sixth place in the table with one game to go before the end of the Spring season. Tampa Bay, Atlanta, FC Edmonton and Indy Eleven are behind them.

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As expected, the game pitched the possession style that is identifying Fury FC against the big forward, long ball tactics adopted by Edmonton and for 45 minutes Ottawa controlled the game. But they could not turn it into goals.

Tony Donatelli, the leading scorer, displayed his confidence with a 30-yard shot for which goalkeeper John Smits had to be alert. Oliver blazed the ball over the bar after a scything Carl Howarth run and shot had been parried. Donatelli went clear in the penalty area only to be thwarted by Smits’ legs.

At the other end Devala Gorrick was forced into a tremendous save from a 25-yard effort from Neil Hlvarty.

None of these compared to what happened five minutes from half time. Haworth, racing down the wing, cut inside to the edge of the penalty box and let fly with a fierce shot. Edmonton defender Kareem Moses stretched his left arm high to his left, blocking the shot and allowing the ball to bounce clear.