New Kent erases sour taste of last year’s no-win season, opens latest campaign with 5-0 blanking of Southampton

New Kent's David McKenney (11) closes on Southampton's Sean Holloway during first half action.

Alan Chamberlain photo

Last season, New Kent’s Trojan soccer team failed to win a single contest. That disappointing statistic, however, will not be repeated this year thanks to Monday night’s season opener.

With Southampton’s Indians in town, the host Trojans declared open season on the Indians’ goal. More than 30 shots peppered the goal, although most sailed wide or high or were stopped by the visitors’ keepers. But two Adam Caldwell shots found the net in the first half and Josue Benitez, Alan Walker, and Kyle Claytor got into the scoring act after the break to lift New Kent to a 5-0 shutout.

“We’ll take it,” Trojan coach Keith Grant said, pointing to the end of New Kent’s losing skein. “We lost to them in the conference last year, so we got a little bit of redemption.”

Caldwell drilled an early goal and duplicated the feat at the 24-minute mark of the first half. The 2-0 advantage stood until nine minutes into the second half when a shot caromed off Indian keeper Robert Robertson and into the path of Benitez who upped the lead to 3-0 with an easy, point-blank effort.

Less than four minutes later, Walker launched a shot from the left side that eluded Robertson. Then with 14 minutes to go, a flurry of shots in front of the Indian goal ended with Claytor’s score. Claytor, Caldwell, Benitez, and Harrison Hunt were credited with assists during the match.

Southampton, meanwhile, posed few threats to Trojan keepers Billy John (first half) and Elijah Greer (second half). The Indians’ best chances to score came on a trio of long-range direct free kicks stopped by John and a last minute shot covered by Greer.

Grant, meanwhile, expects more success for his team as the season wears on, adding, “Half of last year’s team is back, and we’ve added a JV group that’s solid.”