“It was a lot harder to come back than I thought,” admitted Hamilton, who had 30 orange-clad family and friends at Clarke Stadium cheering him on. “There was a lot of emotion at the start of the game. I didn’t think I played very well.”

“We have a very good, very positive relationship with the Whitecaps,” said Miller. “The agreement was that Carlyle would be spending the season with us here in Edmonton, the only exception to that would be if the Whitecaps found themselves in dire straits. Well, they are clearly in dire straits at the moment.”

Mirabelli wasn’t the only Eddie who needed medical attention after the game. Captain and central defender Albert Watson also needed emergency dental work after his two front teeth were knocked out (more on that later). The Eddies dressing room may have resembled an NHL team's.

This is what matters: FCE has four games left to play this spring season, and trails the Silverbacks by four points.

After John Smits put in a man-of-the-match performance Sunday, allowing 10-man FC Edmonton to escape its home date against the Tampa Bay Rowdies with a 0-0 draw, coach Colin Miller that Lance Parker is in no danger of losing his No. 1 job.

The red card immediately put Miller in the market for a goalie and, lo and behold, he had Thomas in national-team camp... in Edmonton.

Canadian national team coach Miller had nothing but praise for Bekker, saying the TFC midfielder’s service was excellent, and that Canada could have won the game 4-1 or 4-2.

“It’s a long flight, especially coming out for a single game,” said Ledgerwood. “It’s a 12-hour flight and, as soon as you get off the plane, you step on the field. But, as national-team players we know the long travel comes with it. We’re willing to sacrifice the hours for the long flights to do it.”

The red card issued to FCE keeper Lance Parker in Sunday's 1-0 loss to Fort Lauderdale have sent plenty of wheels into motion.

But the game quickly turned against the Eddies. In the 16th minute, without contact, central defender Carlyle Mitchell crumpled to the ground without contact. He was in agony and rolled off the pitch. He was subbed out for Adrian LeRoy. Mitchell, on loan from the Whitecaps, will have x-rays done performed on the ankle Monday.