THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 31, 1996 TAG: 9607310600
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 44 lines
The Hampton Roads Mariners have signed two players to replace defender Steve Provan and forward Danny Creech, who were injured this weekend.
General manager Shawn McDonald squeaked in under Monday's USISL signing deadline, grabbing sweeper Jim McGeough and forward Chris Faklaris.
McGeough will fill the hole left by Tony Velkov, who returned to his native Bulgaria a month ago. Nate Houser, who filled in for Velkov, will return to his defensive midfielder role.
Defender Steve Provan, who has missed the majority of the season with a hip injury, returned for a two-game exhibition series against Richmond last weekend. Provan had surgery Monday after a cut on his hand became infected. He should return next week.
Creech has been a powerful attacking forward, moving from substitute to a starting role midway through the season. He will miss a week with pulled stomach muscles.
McGeough has eight seasons of indoor experience and played for the Dallas Burn of Major League Soccer earlier this year. Faklaris, a former member of the U.S. Under-20 national team, has been playing for the A-League Atlanta Ruckus.
McDonald expects McGeough to be ready to play tonight against Richmond at First Colonial High School. Faklaris should arrive in Virginia Beach sometime today and possibly play this weekend against Carolina and South Carolina.
YOU AGAIN?: The Mariners (15-4 overall, 10-3 Select League) are playing the Kickers for the fifth time and the third time in five days. After Birmingham opted to forfeit games against both teams last Friday and Saturday, the Mariners and Kickers paired for exhibitions.
``A game is a game,'' McDonald said. ``We've played them several times in a row, but it's important to win this one. We both kind of used different players through the weekend. Tonight, winning takes precedence.''
PLAYOFF CONTENDER: A victory over Richmond would guarantee the Mariners one of the three playoff slots in the Select League South Atlantic division. If they win each of the three remaining games, Hampton Roads will finish first and receive a first-round bye. Carolina and South Carolina also are battling for first place. But Tampa Bay still has three scheduled Select League games and could challenge South Carolina for a spot in the postseason if both the Mariners and the Cyclones win head-to-head contests against Carolina and South Carolina. by CNB