Result: Firsts 5/10/09 NY State Cup Semi

Barnstonworth Rovers F.C. 2 Greek American Atlas 3

For 55 minutes the Rovers were on their way to the NY State Cup Final. A beautifully developed attack in the opening 10 min of the match, stroking it around for possession in the middle of the pitch, then releasing Jordi deep in the flank; he drove the telling cross to the far post for Colin to finish on a diving header put the Rovers 1-0 up and dominating tempo and chances. But a disastrous 15 min spell allowed some of the undoubted Atlas individual quality to convert 3 times and turn the match. The outcome would have certainly been different if the Rovers’ tying strike at 2-2 had correctly stood. Jordi cut into the inside, timed his run inside the defender to perfection, where he received Einar’s pass and turned to goal at the penalty spot while the entire GA defense wrongly pleaded for offside. With time to spare and only the dumbfounded keeper to beat Jordi’s strike somehow looked as it was going wide of the far post. Pugli following the play in, slid 5 yards and poked the ball in at the far post. As the ref had already turned to point to the centre circle, the assistant raised his flag, later claiming “delayed offside” – that Pugli started the action, before Jordi originally received the ball, on an offside position !!!
Still, the Rovers regained control, and Colin got his second with 15 minutes to spare, before the Rovers, in almost complete domination, created and missed 4 clear chances to force extra time. The first, when Andy got to the by-line near the six, cut the ball back where both Randi and Pugli slid but both somehow failed to prode the ball past the keeper. Then, Pugli running in alone to the far post, received a dropping cross. The keeper in no-man’s land, Pugli’s unnecessarily acrobatic volley uncharacteristically missed the target. Next, Nessa won the header on the far post, beating the stranded keeper, the looping ball bounced inside the six, but the Rovers could not push it past the goal line before the keeper recovered. Arguably, their best chance was their last. The ball moved from left to right, from Sam to Colin, to Pugli to Jordi who slid it to Alex. With acres of space, inside the penalty spot and without a defender in sight, only the goalkeeper staring at him from the middle of his goal, Alex’s stuttered finish looked more like a pass back.
The Rovers could have ensured their progression in the first half against the all PDL player side. Andy missed from close range at 1-0 as did Oren. Pugli just failed to connect on a couple of balls in the area. With Broaches incredible save from close range on super-scorer Josh Trott, and after forcing DC United’s Guy-Roland Kpene to hit the top of the cross bar from a dangerous spot, another Rover strike would have likely settled matters.
As it ended, the Rovers missed, for the third time, to qualify to the championship match, and their best chance yet for a historic first top tier trophy.
Next week, back to the most important business, securing the clubs 1st Division league status vs Froscinone.
Team: Dave Borchard, Jon Nessa, Vidar Ekehaug, Andrew George, Mark Kushemba, Oren Nhaissi, Colin Marshall, Einar Benedtksson, Jordan Chirico, Andy Abramovits, Stephen Pugliese. Subs (all played) Randi Lee, Alfonzo Nanclares, Sam Minaya, Alex Cruz