FULLER HAMLETS BRAVE WIND & WATER IN MASS-PREMIER

In less than ideal conditions-saturated fields, strong winds, and low temperatures-six Fuller Hamlets teams braved the elements at the Bowden Fields, Central Turnpike, Sutton in a full complement of games in the Massachusetts Premier League (MAPLE). These conditions tend to produce low-scoring games and a high proportion of drawn games, and so it proved, particularly on the wetter Lower Field where the first two games produced two ties and a total of four goals, three of them penalty kicks.

Despite the conditions, the first game on the Lower Field was a splendid end-to-end affair between two evenly-matched teams-North Shore and Fuller Hamlets Under 13 Boys-both in the top ten in the state, both experiencing heart-breaking losses to first-division teams in the Round of Sixteen in the State Cup the previous day in the rain at the Charles River fields in Ashland.

Gambling with James Lacasse as the midfield dynamo rather than as centerback, Coach Colin Gordon hoped to get an early goal before both teams tired following their heavy exertions of the previous day. The gamble worked when Bradley Dustin won the ball in the midfield, held off a strong tackle and split the North Shore defense to find Kyle Gordon heavily marked near the penalty spot. Gordon had the presence of mind to slip the ball three yards to the waiting Emil Ethier who was flattened as he tried to get off his shot from 8 yards out. Kyle Gordon buried the penalty kick and the Hamlets had their lead. But North Shore came back strongly, winning a succession of corners and testing the Hamlets' fine goalkeeper Andrew Haas on several occasions. On balance in the first half North Shore edged the Hamlets in the territorial and possession battle but the half ended with the Hamlets leading 1-0.

The Hamlets held on for 20 minutes in the second half despite strong pressure from North Shore, thanks once again to goalkeeper Haas whose sure hands saved the Hamlets on four occasions. But a take-down in the penalty box gave North Shore the chance to equalize, and Haas had no chance on a fine shot driven to the corner of the net. The Hamlets rallied in the last 15 minutes and took back the territorial advantage that they held in the first 10 minutes. Andrew Downton and Kyle Gordon tested the fine North Shore 'keeper and James Lacasse went close with a 20-yard direct free kick but the game ended with honors even, 1 -1, and the spectators well satisfied with a game of soccer well-played.

The second game on the Lower Field pitted the Hamlets Under 12 Boys and the league-leading Crusaders (Plymouth/Cape Cod). The Crusaders put pressure on the Hamlets' defense early and coach Arscott moved into a 4-5-1 formation that consistently foiled a team that played 4-3-3, due primarily to some solid defense from captain Michael Hoy and Brandon Esteves whose long clearances of the wet ball kept the Hamlets in the game. Robbie Hayes made some timely tackles and played with heart throughout the game. Thomas Kulesza made a succession of very fine saves some of them full-length dives and two body-saves on breakaways. His goal-kicks and punts also helped a lot. In the midfield Connor King was the leader, making timely tackles and feeding the speedy Derek Robertson who troubled the Crusaders' defenders throughout the game. The Hamlets earned three comers in the first half compared to six for the Crusaders, but it's goals that count, and the teams turned round with the score 0-0. Somewhat against the run of the play early in the second half the Hamlets took the lead, Robertson was taken down as he burst through two defenders near the penalty spot and the Hamlets' leading-scorer, Major Dorfman, made no mistake from the penalty spot, finding the bottom left corner. As so often happens in junior soccer, teams drop their concentration after scoring a big goal and this short spell of indiscipline yields an equalizer. At the restart, the striker of the frustrated Crusaders took the ball from the center circle, dribbled through seven Hamlets defenders, and literally walked the ball into the net. Thereafter the Hamlets team steeled themselves, defended valiantly and worked hard enough to deserve their point, not for the first time, against a more talented team. Final score: 1 -1.

In the final game on the Lower Field the Hamlets Under 11A Girls took on fierce River fields at Ashland, the Hamlets Under 14 Girls, played with fire and courage in their league game against South Shore Select: their next opponent in the State Cup quarter- finals. Select had only 12 players, but all of them were big and strong and hard to beat in the tackle. They play a New York East (Long Island) brand of soccer, one or two touch passing, quick to close down, crunching tackles, volleys and half-volleys, powerful heading, me Hamlets matched this well with Heather Dziembowski outstanding throughout the game and leading the team by example, and Despina Proko at right full back tackling her winger ferociously and invariably winning the ball (although the accuracy of her distribution left something to be desired). In the midfield Katie Nasuti and Michelle Laramee moved the ball firmly and with accuracy, and Katie Tupper was unfortunate not to give the Hamlets a lead when her rising shot hit the crossbar. The Hamlets held a slight territorial edge in the first half but the teams turned at 0-0.

In the second half the Hamlets continued to hold a slight edge. They scored two goals but established a pattern of dropping their guard immediately after taking the lead and allowing South Shore to equalize. Kendra Woudenberg scored in a goal mouth scramble after a comer, but within two minutes Select equalized after slack Hamlets' marking allowed an easy header. Hamlets striker Kelsey Jarosz headed onto the cross bar with the goalie beaten, and then five minutes later Katie Nasuti headed a splendid goal from an equally splendid in-swinging corner from Dziembowski. Sadly the Hamlets gave the game away soon after, allowing a soft goal and allowing South Shore Select to take away a point from the 2-2 tie.

Although few may have recognized it, (because a splendid exhibition of refereeing usually slips by without anyone having to notice the unobtrusive referee allowing the game to flow freely without unnecessary stoppages) the refereeing of this game by Mr. Jason Monteiro was exceptional. This was a hard-fought game with plenty of tackling and no quarter given by either of the sides, but nobody seems to have noticed him: a fine compliment to Mr. Monteiro. For the third time this season one team has been lucky enough to have, in this writer's opinion, the best youth referee in central Massachusetts: long may he come to the Bowden Fields.

The final game on the Upper Field pitted the Fuller Hamlets Under 13B Girls against the Dragons FC A team (Attleborough/Rehoboth). The problem of games between A teams and B teams in the girls ranks in particular is that the consistent and dangerous strikers are usually moved into the A team. These two teams were evenly matched throughout except that the A team had some firepower while the Hamlets B team had seen its fire power in the form of two strikers moved up to Hamlets A teams. The Hamlets had more chances in front of goal than the Dragons, but the Dragons took more shots that troubled the Hamlets' keeper, than vice- versa.

The Hamlets' defense led by the powerful Nicole Stacey whose clearances usually went in the air for 50 yards or more, made very few mistakes, and Anna-Rae LeClaire made some fine saves and commanded the penalty box throughout the game. Samantha Kasierski was fearless into the tackle and dominated the midfield for long spells, and Jackie Bates at right striker made some very good outside runs, tested the exceptional Dragons goalkeeper, and made several good crosses that were sadly met with neither composure nor power nor timing. The game should have ended with a 0-0 tie, but as the Hamlets exerted pressure on the Dragons goal in the last ten minutes more and more Hamlets players got drawn up into the offensive third of the field. After a near-miss with three minutes to go the Dragons' goalkeeper punted the ball over the heads of nine of the Hamlets' players leaving the Dragons striker in a 50-yard footrace with the Hamlets sweeper. The striker won, slotting the ball with confidence under the dive of the advancing Hamlets keeper for a 1-0 Dragons victory that could put the Hamlets (2-2-1) outside the playoff places: a potentially costly late lapse in concentration by an over-eager defense.