Again it was another day of watching the premier league on TV and my Saints winning again. Watching the big teams lose made me even more confident that the game tonight could be one that we would win and I haven't got this excited for a game since i was nine. Not that I'm a betting man but if you looked at the form book we were playing one of only 2 teams in the nation that had a perfect record 8-0-0 and so on paper were would have been long shots and under dogs for the game. Knowing if we played to our strengths and continued the hard work and performances we are capable of I was very optimistic that we could win and approached the game in that manner. Not content just to be out there, sitting back to defend in numbers and hopefully get a goal from somewhere we played to win, pressed and got numbers forward every chance we would get.
First half started and after only 2 minutes a half chance would go wide from UMBC which was a warning sign that we would be in for a long night if we kept giving them too much space in our defending third. The response was brilliant, confident to try and play and get on the ball we utilized our wide guys and created the best chance of the first half after Heine had beaten his man a superb cross found McQuitty unmarked 6 yards from goal but unfortunately his header went too near their keeper and he was able to make the save. It wasn't until almost the end of the first half that UMBC had their best opportunity but again the shot was straight at JP and he easily made the save. A scoreless first half but one that gave the group belief that they could win if they didn't quite believe it before.
The second half started the worse possible way as we conceded after only 5 minutes from a good move that we failed to clear and the ball was scrambled home from 7 yards out. UMBC were one of the highest scoring teams in the nation and so after getting the goal the next 5 minutes were crucial that we didn't concede again and lose our discipline and shape. As a coach you know the game can go either way and this point, you can crumble and lose the belief or you can hang in there and turn things around. We did the latter, after continuing to try and play and not panicking we got a sublime equalizer from Hinners who after wining the ball took one touch with his chest and shot from the top of the 18 leaving the keeper no chance. With 30 minutes left on the clock there was still a lot of soccer to be played and we defended well and got forward well when our chances came but neither team could win it in regulation.
The first period of overtime saw us have a free kick from 20 yards that Sandland hit to find the side netting and for a split second I thought it had gone in and was just about to run home to Foggy Bottom but it wasn't to be. It took another 10 minutes and into the second period of overtime for UMBC to get the golden goal. I'm always disappointed when calls don't go our way and what seems insignificant would lead to us conceding a free kick that would result in their winning goal. No excuses the service was great and found its target at the far post. End of sports.
Disappointing way to end as I thought we had done enough to at least get a tie but when your 8-0 (now 9-0) you have the confidence and what seems like luck to get those goals. I don't believe in luck or should i say I think you create your own luck and good teams on a roll like UMBC find a way to win. A credit to them I certainly can see why they're unbeaten so far and wish them the all the best as the season goes on. For us its back to the practice field but with a stronger belief and desire to win the next one and get ready for the A10's.
Raise High Moment of the day
Hinners Goal, an absolute beauty!!!
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