Second half collapse dooms New Kent

New Kent's Nate Cook leaps for a first half header in front of Bruton defender Shane Bowyer.

Alan Chamberlain photo

After one half, New Kent’s Trojans trailed Bruton’s visiting Panthers 1-0 in a soccer contest that was still anybody’s match. The visitors, however, owned the second half.

Bruton scored four unanswered goals after Monday night’s break, handing the Trojans a 5-0 setback and lowering the hosts’ record to 3-9-1.

“We didn’t play very well, and in the second half, we fell apart,” said Trojan coach Keith Grant. “Unfortunately, we did not cash in on what we needed to. When the tide was turned, that was it.”

The Panthers’ Michael Wilson and Miguel Martinez scored two goals each to lead the visitors’ second half surge. Larson Fontaine accounted for Bruton’s initial goal, breaking a scoreless deadlock with just under 10 minutes left in the opening half.

New Kent had an opportunity to answer Fontaine’s goal as the half wound down. Tyler Brightwell drove past Panther defenders for what appeared to be an open shot, but charging Panther keeper Travis Matthews smothered Brightwell’s shot attempt as the two collided. Impact, however, took Matthews out of the game.

After Bruton took a 2-0 lead 15 minutes into the second half, the Trojans had another open shot at the Panther goal, but Nate Cook’s effort hooked left.

The hosts managed 10 shots for the night. Bruton, meanwhile, unleashed 22, most sailing wide and high. Trojan keeper Justin Cox recorded three saves.