Smithfield tops NK in OT

Smithfield’s Packers punched in the deciding goal with less than a minute remaining in the second overtime period to hand New Kent’s host Trojans a 2-1 setback last Wednesday in Bay Rivers District soccer.

The outcome once again denied the Trojans their first win of the season as they fell to 0-4-1 in the district and 0-7-2 overall.

“It was a good battle and we had our chances, but we just couldn’t finish,” Trojan coach Craig Aliff said.

New Kent had little success against the Packer defense for much of regulation, and it appeared an early first half Smithfield goal would be the difference. Just over 10 minutes into the contest, Packer forward Ronald Bridges broke away from defenders and blasted a shot past Trojan keeper Dylan Coons who was making his first start after being brought up from JV.

Coons, however, held up the rest of the way, recording six saves after Bridges’ score and keeping the match within striking distance for the Trojan offense.

But the offense sputtered in the first half, managing just two shots. Their best opportunity came with five minutes gone in the second half when forward Reid Horton challenged Packer keeper Samuel Sauber one-on-one, but drilled the ball into Sauber’s midsection for the save.

With just over five minutes left in regulation, Trojan forward Kyle Leckie won a battle for the ball in a collision with Packer back-up keeper Lane Parker. Leckie unleashed a long, but open shot into an empty net to deadlock the match at 1-1.

Seconds later, Leckie’s header in front of the Packer net missed and a subsequent open shot by the Trojan forward was stopped by Sauber, now back in goal, to preserve the tie.

In the first five-minute overtime, a Packer tripping violation set up a Trojan free kick from just outside the box, but Sauber tipped Horton’s high shot over the goal.

The game-winning effort resulted from an indirect free kick just outside the Trojan box. Packer Andrew Schiavone tapped the ball to teammate Jeremy Stanley who found an open lane to the goal, drilling a shot into the corner of the net past Coons’ diving save attempt.

For the match, Smithfield got off 18 shots to New Kent’s 12. Coons recorded eight saves while Packer keepers managed six.