Shooting touch deserts New Kent, Bruton gains 4-0 decision

New Kent's Cameron Cobb leaps to nudge the ball away from Bruton's Chuckie Tenbusch (3).

Alan Chamberlain photo

Shot opportunities surfaced for both New Kent’s Trojans and Bruton’s visiting Panthers in Tuesday night’s soccer clash. Much to the Trojans chagrin, however, the Panthers cashed in while the hosts could not. Bruton walked off the field with a 4-0 victory.

“Unfortunately, we were coming off spring break and we looked sloppy,” said Trojan coach Keith Grant. “[Bruton] got to play last week and we didn’t, but that’s no excuse. We should have played better.”

Panther striker Chuckie Tenbusch proved to be a thorn in the Trojans’ side, especially in the first half. Nearing the midpoint, he drove through Trojan defenders, drilling a shot past keeper Logan Deters to end a scoreless deadlock.

Late in the first half, an indirect free kick launched the Panthers’ Danny Lopez by found Tenbusch again shedding Trojan defenders to blast another shot past Deters. The visitors owned a 2-0 halftime lead. When play resumed, the visitors used another breakaway goal and a penalty shot to put the contest out of reach.

Deters, meanwhile, finished with 10 saves while Panther goalie Tadic Mielczarek stopped five shots.

New Kent’s offense managed 13 shots, most either wide or over the Panther goal. Adam Caldwell missed just wide right on a shot 12 minutes into the contest that could have put the hosts in front. After Bruton took a 1-0 lead, Caldwell’s bid to tie sailed a bit too high as did a subsequent shot off a Josue Benitez free kick.

After the break, Caldwell barely missed on a pair of shots while teammate Kyle Claytor’s two shots were stopped by Mielczarek. New Kent fell to 2-5.