Slow Start Dooms Middletown Booters

Two quick strikes were all The Proud School boys’ soccer team of Wakefield needed Tuesday afternoon at Gaudet Field in Middletown.

The Crusaders netted two goals in the first 19 minutes of play and relied on their defense the rest of the way to blank host 2-0, in a fast-paced and physical Division II-match.

Austin Brawley and Doug Buonanno scored goals and keepers Bryan McCormack and Sean Altshuler combined for six saves as Prout improved to 2-1 in divisional play this season. The Islanders fell to 1-2.

Executing their short-passing and quick-moving offense to perfection in the opening 20 minutes of action, the Crusaders generated all the offense and momentum they would need to hold off the hosts. Middletown regrouped after a slow start and forced play throughout most of the second period, but failed to find the back of the net.

“Going up two goals in the first half really helped us and this was a good win against a good club,” said Prout Coach Tim Ryan. “Despite going up 2-0 early, I think it was still an evenly-fought game, but fortunately, our guys played good defense and we got through.”

Middletown Coach Luis Oliveira bemoaned his squad’s slow start.

“Prout played 80 minutes of soccer today and we played only 40 minutes,” Oliveira said. “They played much harder than we did in the first half and we let them dictate the pace. They scored two goals and we had to try to come back in the second half, but it’s tough to come back from a 2-0 deficit.”

The Crusaders took control of the contest early and their persistence paid off with 38:14 left in the opening chapter when Middletown keeper Kyle Hassan (9 saves) deflected a shot, but Brawley alertly pounced on the rebound and headed it into the goal to give his team a 1-0 edge.

Prout kept up the pressure and doubled its advantage with 21:27 remaining when on a 2-on-1 break, Ryan Cripps crossed to Buonanno who beat Hassan to the short side to produce a 2-0 margin.

Although there were no more goals scored in the match, action remained fast and furious the rest of the way as both squads aggressively attacked the opponents’ net and produced multiple scoring opportunities. Middletown dominated during the final 10 minutes of the first half, but shots by Mitchell Aseltine and William Daughan sailed wide, a long and high shot by Jim Violet struck the crossbar and bounced away, and Daughan’s rebound shot in the closing seconds from point-blank range was smothered by McCormack to preserve the 2-0 discrepancy.

In the second half, a header by Prout’s Jerry Krahn off an indirect kick was stopped by Hassan and Cripps fired wide of the net on a break with Buonanno. The Islanders’ best threat came when Dennis Turano was open on a cross, but could not get his foot on the ball and it sailed out of bounds.

“They (Middletown) had some good scoring chances late in the first half and in the second half, but we were able to hold them off,” Ryan said. “In our division this year, I think a lot of the squads are very balanced and we’ll probably see a lot of even matches.”

“My players have to realize the game is 80 minutes long, not 40 minutes long,” Oliveira said. “We have a lot of new players and a young team and we’re making mistakes and lacking intensity.”

Proud returns to action Thursday at Coventry High, while Middletown makes its next appearance Friday at Toll Gate High of Warwick.

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