Continentals Lose Mental Battle in Second Half

(Morris Township,NJ) The Continentals entered Monday night's game with some momentum from their 4-1 victory last Wednesday vs. the Sheffield Crew. They were looking to go .500 on the season with a win over the Winter Rovers, a team who they lost to in the first game of the season by a count of 6 to 1.

The Continentals held off numerous attacks from the speedy Rovers in the early stages of the game, and the D-line of Catizone, Clayton, Kroszer and Deighan kept the Rovers offensive attack modest. A break came for 1776 in the 16th minute, when a foul just outside the box set up a free kick for Rodrigo Correa. Correa placed the ball with exquisite touch, and McDonald had to put only the slightest touch on it to find the back of the net. The lads were ecstatic.

The Continentals held the Rovers scoreless the rest of the first half, as they went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

The Continentals continued to play solid in the second half, but a few mental errors began to deter the lads from picking up three beautiful points. In the 45th minute, a ball played through the Continental back line was misplayed and took a bad hop around keeper Mark Basso at the top of the box. As he and then defender Dylan Bauer struggled to clear the ball after the unfortunate bounce, a Rover snuck behind them and tapped it in to equalize.

While Morristown played solid, setting up multiple second half opportunities on set pieces, they failed to capitalise and left the door open for the Winter Rovers to steal the points. Frustration loomed, and Continental midfielder Carlos Antunes was issued a yellow card in the 51st minute for having potty mouth while arguing a call.

The Rovers finally got a good set piece opportunity in the 58th minute, as the Continentals failed to clear an in-swinger and a Rover squeeked a ball under the hand of Basso who played the entirety of the game with a groin injury. The lads were devasted as the Rovers took a late 2-1 lead.

The Continentals, with a few late chances, never responded with a goal, as the Rovers held on to the lead and picked up the win in an exciting match. The Morristown 1776 AFC falls to 2-4-0 on the season.

Next match will be 6:30 Wednesday 6/18, at New Providence highschool to take on the winless Pioneers.

'76 Scoring


McDonald(3)16th minute


'76 Discipline
Antunes(51') Yellow




'76 Shots


Correa(3)
N. Ferreira (3)
McDonald (2)
Clayton(1)





'76 Saves

Basso(6)





'76 Offsides

Correa(1)





Corners
1776 (5)




'76 Starters

Basso
Deighan
Krozser
Clayton
Catizone
Ferreira,N
Bauer,D
Barbosa,D
Bauer,R
Correa
McDonald




'76 Subs

Barbosa,A
Antunes
Guzman