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A Saturday night game, under the lights at Manhattan Village…not many better nights for soccer! This weekends game was again a game of two halves, except on this occasion a very strong bench helped seal a valuable 3 points for Doxa. Doxa started off strong and had several great attempts at goal, Mario Guerrero going closest with one shot hitting the crossbar and another the post. There was a legitimate PK call when Byrne was taken down in the area, while the keeper made a great save off a long range Steve Chirgwin effort. The first goal of the game came through Derk Droze. Captain Derk started the game at d-mid, and on his first venture forward he struck the back of the net. It was Guerrero who got the assist, dribbling the ball from half way before laying a ball out wide for Derk. Half time came with the score at 1-0.

Coach John Gerrard decided not to make any changes at half, instead giving his starting 11 the opportunity to win the game. This was a decision that paid off, as a sober Chirgwin made amends for last weeks performance with a screamer of a finish from 25 yards out. It was a Devon Toohey throw that started the move, Byrne flicked the ball to Pete Hazdovac and the big Albanian squared to Chirgwin who drilled the ball into the bottom corner. Another nominee for goal of the season. With a strong 2-0 lead, Gerrard took the opportunity to get some new faces in the game. And it definitely paid off! Matt Upton, playing in his first game of the season scored off a Sean Lockhart cross from the left. Lockhart was also making his first appearance of the season, and soon after had his second assist of the game when his shot was saved by the keeper only for Ilia Nazarov to score off the volley. Kyle Holland also got in on the act, bagging his second goal of the season off a Matt Upton assist. The game was wrapped up at that stage, but it did not stop Ryan Taylor getting in on the act with another nominee for goal of the season. After beating a few defenders and mis-touching the ball several yards in front of him, he beat the keeper to the ball, chipping it over him. The ball hit the under side of the crossbar, onto the post, bounced on the line and into the net! Taylor proceeded to keep his run going out into the parking lot, up the street to Grunions where he was later seen bragging about his wonder goal!
Finally, it was a successful night for Doxa goalkeeper Brian Burdue who was celebrating his 43rd birthday. The rookie kept a clean sheet, leaving his goals against at 0.

Next Sunday, Doxa will be playing Artesia DES at 1pm in Norwalk.