NPSL: Late Surge Seals Win for Reds
- Updated: June 14, 2015
Photo credit: Ryan Dolan
Down a goal in the waning stages of their match with the Seacoast United Mariners, the Rhode Island Reds managed to draw even before exploding for three more to secure a 5-2 win at Berylson Family Field in Providence, R.I. on Friday.
Ramon Espinoza opened the scoring inside of six minutes to give the guests a lead that quickly collapsed when Revelino De Veiga equalized in the seventh minute. That match went into halftime at one apiece, and it stayed that way until Grady Trimble put the Mariners back on top in the 70th minute. But that lead became a distant memory after an own goal from Jerome Bland put the Reds on level terms in the 77th minute, setting the stage for an onslaught of late goals from De Veiga (87th minute), Bernard Yeboah (90th minute) and Ienick Soares (91st minute).
With the victory, Rhode Island acquires three points, putting them at a middle-of-the-table nine points. Most interestingly, however, is the fact that the Reds nearly tripled its offensive production during Friday’s match, which they entered with only three goals to its credit on the 2015 season. The Mariners, on the other hand, remain in sixth place in the division, five points ahead of basement dwellers Greater Lowell United FC.
Seacoast took the field with what looked like a 4-1-2-1-2, with what resembled a diamond midfield, whilst Rhode Island fronted with an aggressive 4-5-1. An unforced error in the RI defense led to an intercepted ball that was quickly stewarded into the back of the net by Espinoza. The pendulum quickly swung the other way as the Reds forced a free kick after the ensuing kickoff which led to De Veiga’s first strike.
It was after this cascading goal session that play had settled down. Seacoast asserts its offense by with extended passing sequences midway through the half. Chances are always rebuffed by a quicker Reds’ defense, however. As halftime approaches, both teams’ lack of finishing has led to an understandable level of frustration.
As the second half began, this frustration mounted. Frustration that led to sloppy, lazy, or just exasperated play. The man in the middle, Adam Kilpatrick, asserted himself at the right times to keep incidents from escalating.
The stalemate was broken following a Seacoast corner kick in the 70th minute, which Trimble latched onto and scored. The Reds responded by playing long balls down route 1 leading to an eventual free kick. The ensuing series led to an all too familiar aerial delivery down the center, this delivery however found its way to the back of the net with Seacoast’s assistance.
Near the end of regulation, De Veiga found the back of the net for second time. This deficit caused Seacoast to play a high pressure line which, in turn, opened the door for Yeboah and Soares to put the game out of reach for the Mariners.
Rhode Island will host New York Athletic Club on Sunday, whilst Seacoast United Mariners will face the Seacoast United Phantoms at the University of Southern Maine-Gorham on Sunday.
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