Valiant Effort Leaves Howell Just Short of Victory

The Rebels boys' soccer team can be knocked down, but they certainly cannot be knocked out.

Monday afternoon was a testiment to that, in a home loss to Freehold Towndhip.

In the closing seconds of the contest, a perfectly placed shot by Colton Lambert was tipped over the goal by a number of players, as time ran out and Howell fell short, taking a 2-1 loss.

After falling down 2-0, drew within a goal on sophomore Kevin Kappock's goal in the 66th minute. Drew Lyon drilled a free kick from mid-field to set the goal up, and Chris Hill eventually made a number of moves to free himself up, crossing the ball to Kappock who buried home the shot.

Howell accumulated a number of chances in the final 12 minutes, most notably when Kappock beat a defender and hit sophomore Jeremy Hoops in the middle of the 18-yard-box, but Hoops knocked the ball over the cross-bar.

The Rebels had a number of chances, but none of them were able to find the net, due in large part to poor field conditions.

"This field sucks," Howell head coach Rich Yuro said. "It's really poor, every home game we have, it's the same result."

Howell was unable to get their up-beat style of play going because of the field, Yuro said.

"Middletown North was the same, along with CBA, it's atrocious. You can't play our style."

Both the boys and girls varsity programs play all home games on the field, along with all varsity football games.

Hill had several chances to score for his team, although all of his shots sailed past the net.

The senior forward, who committed to Richmond before the season started, made a move on a defender in the 2nd minute, but his shot was fired wide of the far post.

Minutes later, Hill was at it again, beating a Patriots' defender, but no one was able to find his crossing pass.

The Rebels' best chance of the first half came in the 33rd minute, but Lyon's penalty kick was saved, and the Patriots held on to the one-goal advantage.

Later on in the first half, Lambert made a diving effort, but his header came up just short off Kappock's long-ball.

Hill had another strike at net, off a corner from Lyon, but it flew high of the cross-bar.

Hill's best chance of the day came in the second half. After Hoops found junior Nick Anello in the corner, Anello fed Hill with a cross, and Hill was able to lose a defender, but his header was nailed just over the top of the net.

"They [Freehold Township] are a decent team, if you let them hang around, they're going to put balls in," Yuro said, "They capitalized on a couple of their oppurtunities, we had a ton, but we didn't.

"That's what happens when you don't put teams away."

Howell keeper Luke Weber wasn't pressured often, but the two Freehold Township goals were un-savable, with defensive lapses occuring on both of them.

The Patriots scored in the fifth minute and, later, the 54th minute to extend their lead to two goals.

The Rebels' will have a week off before returning to play on Monday, Oct. 3, when they will host the Brick Township Dragons at 6:30 p.m.