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Mississippi Brilla 4, Baton Rouge CULT Capitals 3 (Thursday 8th July, 2010 – PDL Southestern Division)

Brilla ends Caps’ unbeaten run in seven-goal thriller in top-of-the-table clash

Capitals suffered their first defeat of the season as they go down 4-3 at title rivals Mississippi Brilla in a thrilling encounter which saw goals from Callon, Tait, and Anderson; while striker Ben Callon also received a straight red on the hour.

In any league, to score three goals on away territory is usually enough to secure at least a point. However, this match was against at Mississippi Brilla , the Southeast Division’s most consistent team over the past couple of seasons, and they were up to secure also their own unbeaten run as one of only three teams, including Capitals, in the entire PDL to remain undefeated to date.

And this match was not for the faint-hearted. Both teams attacked the game from the kick-off and it was Capitals who scored first on 11 minutes with a fine goal from leading goal-scorer Ben Callon, his ninth of the season, as he converted a cross from Ricky Vargas.

However, Capitals’ lead was short-lived. Within the following ten minutes Brilla replied with two goals (Aduny,18 mins and Hunt, 21mins) to put Capitals behind for only the second time this season. And a further blow was dealt by Brilla on 39 minutes when Brilla’s Ahmed Ihmedian fired a 23-yard wonder-strike for Brilla’s third goal.

This presented a new challenge to Capitals, who again were showing a never-say-die attitude and, with both sides providing end-to-end flowing soccer, the game was wide open. It was Joe Tait who gave Capitals heart going in to the break when he latched on to a rebound to pull the scores back to 3-2 on the stroke of half-time.

The second half picked up from where the first left off with both sides playing adventurously and a flurry of shots was repeatedly saved by Joe Hart, only for the ball to fall eventually to the feet of Brilla’s Phillip Buffington who was able to pass the ball into the open goal on 58 minutes.

Just before the hour mark Ben Callon received a straight red for a dangerous challenge on Brilla’s Richard Dixon. Despite being down to ten men, Capitals were not going to give up the chase and the team consolidated to pummel the Brilla defence. Persistence paid off in the 80th minute when a Mark Anderson shot from a Stuart Hayers pass was deflected into goal to make the score 4-3.

The final ten minutes were all Capitals as the visitors won a series of corners from which they were unlucky not to score a deserved equalizer, but time ran out on them and the team left the field to their first defeat of the season.

ABOVE: Joe Tait - scored in the final seconds of the first half.

Photo: Gabriel Navar

LEFT: Joe Hart - CULT Man-of-the-Match for his fine goalkeeping performance. Photo: Stephen James

CULT ENERGY DRINK

MATCH STATS

Mississippo Brilla 4

CAPITALS 3

Capitals scorers:
11mins: Callon (Asst: Vargas)
45+mins: Tait (Asst: Callon)
80mins: Anderson (Asst: Hayers)

CULT Energy Drink Man-of-the-Match:  Joe Hart

Official PDL match stats at:
http://www.uslsoccer.com/stats/2010/1584855.html