Late first half lapse pivotal in New Kent’s season finale loss to Gloucester

New Kent’s Conner Bailey (8) prepares for a header to set up a teammate.

Robb Johnson photo

New Kent’s boys’ soccer team has talent on their roster. That has never been the question.

But the question applies if the team is able to take lessons from Trojans’ Head Coach Derek Yates and apply them to the field. A regular season finale against the Gloucester Dukes provided another tough message that had to be sent to the hosts.

Mental lapses in concentration along with defensive mistakes resulted in the visiting Dukes upending New Kent 4-2 on May 18, spoiling the home team’s Senior Night celebration.

Gloucester struck early in the contest, taking a quick lead before New Kent’s Xabier Zuazo countered with a goal at the 37:33 mark to tie the game. The visitors returned fired, applying pressure to Trojan goalkeeper Aaron Harris. While Harris held on for most of the opening half, it was two late goals in the waning minutes that snuck by him as New Kent found themselves trailing 3-1 at the intermission break.

New Kent was able to take advantage of Gloucester’s lackluster return to the field after halftime. New Kent’s Connor Bailey cut the home team’s deficit to one (3-2) after scoring with 28:00 remaining in the second half.

For the remainder of regulation, New Kent held Gloucester scoreless but failed to pose any offensive threat against the Dukes. After regulation time had burned off the clock, it would take a late goal by the visitors during stoppage time to provide the breathing room they needed to escape New Kent with a win.

Yates tried to comprehend his team’s loss after the contest.

“Defense has been our breakdown and it has cost us every single game,” the frustrated coach commented. “I told the guys that we have been our own worst enemy on the field.

“Every time we make a mistake, the other team capitalizes,” Yates continued. “We are giving up goals early and that kills our momentum. We don’t find ourselves in the second half of games and that gets us behind.”

The Trojans conclude their regular season with a record of 4-10-1.