Austin plays strong, but eventually falls

August 8, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Austin Aztex News Release


ROCHESTER, New York - A strong defense coupled with some well-timed offensive attacks against the Rochester Rhinos looked promising for an Austin Aztex team that has struggled on the road this season, but it wasn't enough as a controversial call and red card in the second half on Austin's Gifton Noel-Williams proved to be too much for the Aztex, who fell on the road Saturday night with a 1-0 defeat.

From the start, the Aztex squad looked different than previous games, beginning with goalkeeper Nick Noble, who made his first start of the season.

Noble wasn't tested much in the first half. Instead, it was Rochester goalkeeper Scott Vallow who got the bulk of the action in the opening half including a one-on-one opportunity against Austin's Sullivan Silva. After a pair of Rhinos defenders got tangled up in the 35th minute, the ball landed at Silva's feet, where he then streaked up the right side toward the Rochester goal. Silva delivered a low shot to the far post and Vallow just managed to get a hand on the ball pushing it outside the post.

Following the halftime, with the game still scoreless, the action picked up on both ends of the field.

During one five-minute span, the Aztex squad was clearly the aggressor with several chances in the box, but miscommunication on a pair of crosses resulted in no attempts on goal. Rochester responded with a couple chances of its own including the best scoring chance of the night in the 58th minute. That's when Rochester's Errol McFarlane received a pass inside the 18-yard box. With a couple Austin defenders nearby, McFarlane made a quick turn to the inside, found an opening and fired. Noble managed to get just enough of his body on the ball, which then bounced high into the air where he safely gathered it.

In the 64th minute, the game took a dramatic turn. That's when Austin's Gifton Noel-Williams appeared to make a relatively harmless move on Rochester defender Kenney Bertz. After Bertz sent a long ball up from his right back position, Noel-Williams ran into Bertz's leg on the follow through. Though it was not malicious and Bertz didn't complain, the referee, who had already given Noel-Williams a yellow card earlier in the match, gave him a second and the Aztex went down a man.

Despite being a man down the rest of the contest, the Aztex continued to push forward. However, it was an offensive push by Rochester in the 73rd minute that sent the home side up 1-0. It came when Danny Earls sent in a cross that found its way to the far side of the goal and Ryan Heins who sent a return volley back across the goal where an opportunistic Johnny Menyongar sent it past Noble for his 9th goal of the season.

Rochester tried to add to its lead just five minutes later when a deep throw-in caught the Aztex defense sleeping but Warren Ukah sent the ball wide left of the goal. The Aztex still had hope.

With time running out, Austin made one final offensive push, which eventually earned a free kick in the 88th minute. On the kick, Michael Callahan sent in a bending ball to the far post where Austin's David Sias outmaneuvered the packed-in Rochester defense just enough to get his head on the ball. Vallow, however, made a diving save to his left that kept the ball out of the net and salvaged the win.

The Aztex return back to action at home next Sunday, August 16, where they will face the Minnesota Thunder for a 6pm kickoff.



USL First Division Stories from August 8, 2009


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