Playing against a weakend yet skillful league leader Cal United, the Seahorses, after a patient start kicked into gear. An early defensive error, though, cost the Seahorses, when a mix up between goalkeeper and defender left an easy tap in for the Cal United striker 25 minutes into the first half. Regrouping and continuing their confident posses ional play of recent weeks, the seahorses struck back with two goals in quick succession. Both coming from great team-play wide and sharp finishing in the 6-yard box by Joey Cascio and Andrew Sarega, to go in at half time 2-1 up.
With a disheartened 10 men, Cal United kicked of the Second Half, while the seahorse pressure continued with multiple chances going inches wide early on, through Ben Orr and Don Spence, who both went close in the first half also. 15 minutes into the second half the 3rd goal came after a neat passage of play that left an open Justin Etherton (Backup keeper, on the field as forward) clear to finish calmly past a helpless Cal United Keeper. The Seahorses didn't have it all their own way and it was left to the intimidating frame of Andrew Kadera to stop 3 one on one attempts midway through the second half, to further frustrate the Cal United players.
A constant lapse in defensive cover left open holes throughout the Cal United back three which the Seahorse took advantage of with 4 quick fire goals in succession. Mark Clitnovici after failing to catch the referee's attention with two penalty claims, was elegantly put through by Matt Morse. Clitnovici drew the keeper and defender in before finding the bottom near post corner and the Seahorses 4th. The Seahorses found themselves in acres of space and quickly added a 5th through a clever chip over the onrushing Cal United Keeper by Andrew Sarega. Neat work by Clitnovici on the left found Don Spence open on the back post for an easy tap in for the Jamaican native and the Seahorses 6th, 12 minutes before the end. And finally a scorching strike from Morse 5 minutes before the final whistle, was only parried by the Keeper, the rebound finding Andrew Sarega's feet for his third goal of the game and the Seahorses 7th.
The win moved the Seahorses to 4th in the table with 18points, 2 behind Balboa (who has 2 games in hand), 3 behind Cal United and a further point behind new leaders NHBV Reserves. The season is slowly coming to a close and the Seahorses are slowly working their way up the table, has it come to late though? We'll find out next week. When the Seahorses tackle bottom team the Saints, in a must win game for the Seahorses if they are to mount any serious late challenge to the Leaders.
See you at Biola at 3pm next Sunday.
