FC Tampa Bay Salvages a Draw But Loses a Key Player

ST. PETERSBURG - FC Tampa Bay has had a lackluster start to the 2011 season, tallying just two goals in four games while slogging to a 1-1-2 record.

While the team has been playing hard and giving an all-out effort every game, Head Coach Ricky Hill expressed his desire for his club to “be out front (leading) on more occasions…especially at home.”

On Saturday night, despite outplaying the Atlanta Silverbacks for much of the first half, the team allowed a goal in the final 30 seconds of the half and had to play catch up the rest of the way.

They were fortunate to get the equalizing goal from forward Mike Ambersley in the game’s 75^th minute to salvage the draw, but the result was disappointing to players and the head coach.

“We got a point (for the tie)…but it wasn’t pretty. Our passing wasn’t there. We’re not clicking. I don’t know what it is,” Ambersley said later.

Making matters worse, if FC TB hopes to turn things around, it might have to do so without one of its star players, goalkeeper Daryl Sattler.

A veteran leader and fan favorite, Sattler went down in the game’s 10^th minute with an apparent knee injury. After remaining down on the pitch for a number of minutes, the 30-year-old was helped from the field and eventually went to the locker room with his right knee heavily iced.

“It’s not too bad currently…there doesn’t seem to be a great amount of swelling at this point in time, which is positive,” Hill said of the injury after the game. “We’re going to have a proper evaluation on Tuesday. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he will be able to go"  to next weekend's game against Carolina.

If Sattler can’t play, backup Jeff Attinella, a local product who made his first professional appearance last night in relief of Sattler, will get the call.

Attinella, a 22-year-old Clearwater native, Countryside High standout and graduate of USF, was picked up by FC Tampa Bay in the offseason after failing to catch on with an MLS team.

Needless to say, he was taken a bit off guard by having to make his debut so early in the game, and the season.

“It was a tough situation with Daryl going down …that’s not at all how I wanted to get my first (professional) minutes in,” Attinella said following the game. “When I started touching the ball (to warm up), they yelled at me and said I wasn’t allowed to. So it was definitely something different.”

Asked what he would do to be prepared if he has to make the start next game, Attinella was frank: “Maybe I won’t eat as much NutriGrain bars and bananas before the game in the locker room.”

FC Tampa Bay next plays on Saturday night at 7 against the Carolina Railhawks at Al Lang Field.