Wednesday, June 19, 2013
SOUTH HUNTINGDON, N.Y. -- In a game that saw two very different halves, the Ocean City Nor'easters rallied to take a 3-1 victory against the Long Island Rough Riders on Wednesday night at Cy Donnelly Stadium. After controlling the first half and claiming a 1-0 lead after 45 minutes, the Rough Riders gave up three second-half goals to an Ocean City team that grew continually stronger throughout the game.
Although the game started with a 45-minute delay due to a late arrival of the visiting team, the Rough Riders were wide awake from the start and put pressure on Ocean City deep in their half. The home team’s attacking style led to four shots in the opening 15 minutes, but neither Stephan Barea, nor Tyler Arnone or Stephen Roche were able to convert their chances.
The Nor’easters sought success in a very physical defense, trying to stop the Rough Riders with all legal means. In the 32nd minute Long Island found some open space when Kevin Knowles sent Danny Kramer wide on his right flank. Kramer beat a defender, dribbled all the way to the goal line and saw his low cross being deflected into the back of the net by Ocean City’s defender Jordan Murrel.
The Rough Riders stayed on top throughout the rest of the first half, but were unable to threated Ocean City’s goal again as they carried the 1-0 lead into halftime.
Ocean City seemed determined to turn around the game in the second half and started attacking the Rough Riders from the moment the match continued. Nick Perea had the first dangerous opportunity in the 50th minute, when his volley from inside the penalty area went just wide left of the goal.
In the 51st minute Barea almost doubled the advantage for the Rough Riders after Arnone’s cross from the right flank. His right-footed shot got blocked by a defender but when the ball rebounded to his strong left leg, he fired the volley to the far corner, only to hit the post.
What could have been a security goal for the Rough Riders proved to be their last strike of genius in this game. From then on it was the Nor'easters who dictated the pace and fired shot after shot. Right back Shawn McLaws played a lot more offensively and got involved in most of the attacks. McLaws and forward Zoncher Dennis recorded shots and it took a collective effort of the Rough Riders’ defense to stop them from scoring.
What looked promising for the Rough Riders for more than 70 minutes of the game was destroyed within the final 20. In the 72nd minute, a miscommunication between center back Tom Wharf and goalkeeper Marco Jorgensen presented McLaws with an easy opportunity to score. He got his head on the ball before the Rough Riders goalie and headed it into the empty net to tie the game.
The equalizer brought Ocean City fully back into the game and broke the Rough Riders’ confidence as they struggled to answer. Only seven minutes after the first goal, center back Tyler Hilliard’s long ball over the Rough Riders’ defense found Dwayne Reid, who put the ball past Jorgensen after beating the offside trap.
The Nor’easters added a third in the 85th minute from a counter-attack as the Rough Riders pushed forward in search of an equalizer. Reid beat two defenders on the right flank and passed to Frank Tweneboa, who had no difficulty finding the back of the net.
This victory puts the Ocean City Nor’easters into first place in the Mid Atlantic Division; the Rough Riders remain in fifth place with 11 points.
The Rough Riders are back in action on Tuesday, June 25th when they take on the Central Jersey Spartans at Cy Donnelly Stadium, South Huntington. The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.liroughriders.com/tickets or at the Rough Riders ticket box on game day (opens 60 minutes before kickoff).