Friday, June 29, 2012
READING, Pa. – For the past two seasons, Deshorn Brown and Stephen Okai have teamed up for quite a few goals at the collegiate level, including a combined 38 goals last year for the University of Mobile. That’s just shy of two goals per game between the two of them. On Friday night against the Bermuda Hogges (1-9-2, 5 points), they combined for three as Okai (one goal, two assists) and Brown (two goals) helped the Reading United (7-2-2, 23 points) blow past their visitors 4-0.
Despite Bermuda being the team playing its third game in six days, it was United who looked sluggish over the majority of the first half. Some sloppy play by United and some inspired run of play by Bermuda nearly had the visitors on top early. Tre and Damon Ming had the best opportunities for the road-weary Hogges, en route to Bermuda outshooting the home side by a 5-1 margin early.
Finally, in the 42nd minute, Reading shook off some of the offensive rust that had been accumulating over the past three games, where United had only scored one goal. Okai travelled down towards the far right corner of the penalty area and cut a sharp cross back across his body and past Bermuda keeper Tahj Bell. The effort found a streaking Deshorn Brown for a 1-0 advantage entering the half.
Four minutes after the half, the Okai-Brown connection struck again, this time with Brown finishing an Okai through-ball with a cheeky chip over Bell for a two-goal lead. Brown’s brace gave him seven goals on the season, and tied him for ninth in the league in both goals and points.
Okai would break through with a goal of his own in the 73rd minute, after a handball just outside the 18 gave Reading a perfect chance to put the game out of reach. Okai’s rising blast over the wall was placed perfectly in the upper 90 for a 3-0 lead.
Ian Christianson would add his first goal of the year in the 83rd minute, in a sequence of events that included three straight shots by the Georgetown midfielder, two reflex saves by Bell, and finally Reading’s fourth goal of the evening.
It capped off a frantic second half for Reading, which after holding an 8-7 advantage in shots after 45 minutes, outshot the visiting Hogges 17-1 in the final 45.
The victory kept Reading undefeated against their Bermudian counterparts, holding a 5-0-1 all-time record. They have outscored the Hogges 10-2 over those six games, which include five shutouts.
Reading keeper Emmanuel Martin picked up his fifth shutout of the season, making four saves in the effort. All four of his saves came in the first half.
The four-goal effort by United was their first in 16 games, and first of the season. By comparison, Reading had five games in 2011 that included at least four goals, including a three-game stretch at the beginning of the season.
With the win, Reading kept pace with the division-leading Ocean City Nor’easters (9-2-0, 27 points) and picked up three points on the second place Jersey Express (8-2-2, 26 points), who dropped a Wednesday night game to the New Jersey Rangers (5-4-2, 17 points). Reading controls their own destiny, with a home match against Ocean City and a road battle against Jersey still left on deck.
Reading will have a day to rest before facing the Brooklyn Knights at home on Sunday. Reading defeated Brooklyn 3-2 at the Metropolitan Oval in a back and forth match on May 27, with Steven Neumann netting the game winner in the 76th minute for United.
The Brooklyn game is also United’s annual food drive, supporting the Greater Berks Food Bank. Any fan who brings a canned good to the game gets in for half-price! Adult = $5, Youth/Senior = $3. (Regular prices $10/$6 respectively).