Many expected the
Centurions (2-5) to stop the
bleeding of their recent two
game losing streak when they
went up against the Middlesex
Colts (1-6) who were still winless
in conference matchups.
Middlesex defender Connor
Lewis did not get the memo; he
was a terror all over the field
and scored 2 goals on the way
to the Colts defeating the
Centurions 4-2.
Wind played a factor in the
game early and often as it continually
altered the course of
several shots and passes on an
otherwise beautiful day.
Even exchanges of skill
opened up the game until the
24 minute when Connor Lewis
scored off a favorable bounce
off the crossbar to make it 1-0
Colts.
In the 38 minute of play
Middlesex scored again when
mid fielder Edwin Molina gave
the ball a venomous strike to
get past Centurion goalie Mike
Klimonicz down low.
The Centurions seemed to be
playing kind of hesitant for
much of the first half until the
final 5 minutes of the first half,
when they got noticeably more
aggressive on offense. The
scoreboard at the half still
showed Colts 2, Centurions 0.
The Centurions maintained
their up-tempo play in the second
half with good offensive
pressure. This style of play
paid off when forward
Vanderson Anderson scored to
get the Centurions back in the
game.
An off sides call against the
Colts in the 59 minute negated
a Middlesex goal keeping the
game close. This proved to be
pivotal as Dan Foley got loose
on a breakaway and scored in
the 68 minute to tie the game at
2.
This may have allowed the
Colt players to finally catch
their breath, because they
played refreshed coming back
into the game. Connor Lewis
then helped the Colts to retake
the lead when he scored his
second goal making it 3-2.
The wheels began to fall off
the Centurions’ comeback
effort as they were not able to
recapture the momentum. Mid
fielder Chris Clark would later
put the game out of reach by
increasing the Colts lead to 4-2
in the 83 minute with 7 minutes
remaining.
The Centurions played to the
whistle, but Middlesex goalie
Bryan Rowe turned back all
scoring attempts.
After the game coach Bill
Andrews said “We played
well, but we still struggle with
some of the little things that
apply to the game.” When
asked about what he did after
the Centurions tied the game:
“We adjusted our formation to
help our strikers and this
forced the Centurions to
adjust.”
Connor Lewis told me after
the game that he is actually a
former striker, but was moved
to defense for his speed. “I
think we played pretty well,
but we let the Centurions back
in the game.” He also credited
the coaches’ adjustments for
the win.
Coach Justin Burroughs said
after the game “I think we
played great for about thirty
minutes and then we had some
breakdowns.” He was able to
take some positives away from
the game in saying that his
guys moved the ball beautifully,
did what he asked, and did
not give up when they were
down early.
The Centurion players
looked pretty dejected after the
game and were not giddy for
postgame comments. They
can’t afford to hang their head
too long; there are still games
to be played this season.