Coming off a tough late game tie against Mepham on Saturday, the Garden City boys took to the pitch in a non-league match against the Carle Place Frogs on Monday afternoon.
The first half started out with both teams feeling each other out with most of the play in the midfield. Carle Place tried attacking down the right sideline but they were continually turned away by the GC defense. The Frogs did come up with several corner kicks that were either headed out by a high flying Stephen Soviero or grabbed by keeper Tyler Biscone.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Trojans attack was stifled by a Carle Place defense that successfully used an offsides trap. The best opportunities for GC came on the counterattack down the right sideline. First it was Jack Gillan breaking free down the middle on a ball from Jake Menges only to be stopped by an aggressive keeper just inside the 18 yard box. Then it was Alex Franco taking a long ball in the box from Matt Greiner and one timing it across to Gillan who pushed his shot just wide of the goal as the keeper came sliding out at him.
But just minutes later, at about the seven minute mark, it was the same combination that got started with a stop of a Carle Place attack this time by Greg Vouzianis. As the ball was driven up the field to Franco he drove the ball with speed down the sideline beating the defender and sending a cross into the box where Gillan was able to finish the play with a volley into the goal. And a 1-0 GC lead.
Carle Place did get a couple of additional opportunities before the half ended but Biscone came up with the saves or the GC defense stood tall with Chris Koester, Derek Attardi, Kyle Ritchie and Reed Bonvissuto taking turns breaking up the Frogs attack.
The second half was played much like the first half, with several good opportunities for both teams coming from the quick transition game. GC was putting pressure on Carle Place with hard work in the midfield by Matt Rogers, Patrick Keogh and Jack Metzler but the Frogs defense held strong. The best opportunity for GC came on a corner kick from Vouzianis that got to the head of co-captain Marc Schwendemann but his header went just over the bar.
A little under 20 minutes remained in the match and Carle Place began to turn up the pressure. Keeper Robert Wotczak was forced to come up with a couple of tough saves off a corner kick and a free direct kick from just outside the box. Carle Place continued to force the play and it finally paid off with about 8 minutes to go as Adam Cabrera took advantage of a defensive lapse by GC and finished with a shot past a helpless Wotczak.
With time winding down in the 1-1 match GC made one final run at the goal. Schwendemann drove down the left sideline with speed and support but his cross was quickly cleared away and Carle Place was off to the races. Cabrera collected the long ball just before Wotczak could get out to it outside the 18 yard box and was able to finish it for the 2-1 Carle Place lead with only 49 seconds left.
The tough loss left GC with a 1-2-3 overall record. They remain at 1-1 in league play with games coming up against league rivals Westbury and NHP on Thursday, the 27th and Monday, the 1st, respectively.
