Gilmer High soccer enjoyed the friendly confines of Huff-Mosley Memorial Stadium last Friday.
The undefeated Dalton Academy Pumas were in town, and their record received its first blemish. The GHS Bobcats took a two-goal lead into the locker room at halftime, and while the match became increasingly physical in the second half, the Bobcats would not be denied as they earned a 3-1 victory.
The Pumas entered the match with only five goals scored against them all season, but they were torched by the Bobcats’ counter attack twice in the first half.
“We looked at their record (7-0) coming in, and we all knew it was going to be a tough game and that we were going to have to be at our best to get anywhere near close to them,” said GHS head coach Simon Phipps.
“I think the fact that they pressed the ball high up the field to start the game worked to our advantage. We have a lot of speed with Ricky Ambrocio, Camden Lyles, Connor Seim and Melvin Oxlaj, and this obviously allowed us to counter when we turned the ball over.”
GHS goalkeeper Talyn Curtis made his first save in the fourth minute, and the Bobcats netted the match’s initial goal five minutes afterward. Julien Withrow commanded the Bobcats’ attack as he streaked through the middle of the field.
Withrow delivered a pinpoint pass to Oxlaj on the left flank, which he quickly collected and blasted a left-footed shot inside the near post for a 1-0 GHS advantage.
Oxlaj was then fouled inside the box midway through the half. Seim stepped to the penalty spot and calmly placed the ball in the upper right corner for a 2-0 GHS lead.
However, the Pumas were fouled in the penalty area just moments later with 21:32 on the clock. The successful penalty kick cut Gilmer’s lead back down to a goal.
The Bobcats continued to make the most of their possessions. After another quick build up, Withrow sent a pass to the left wing once more, and Oxlaj pelted the ball into the back of the net.
Gilmer led 3-1 with 17:31 left in the first, and Dalton Academy had two fruitless corner kicks over the remainder of the half. Curtis made a final save five minutes before the break, and Diego Jacinto cleared the ball after it squirted free.
The second half was a battle of attrition. After the Pumas earned the match’s first yellow card in the waning moments of the opening half, five more were issued over the match’s final 40 minutes. Two were called on Gilmer players, while Dalton Academy received three more.
Play was even momentarily stopped after Puma fans were ejected from the visitor bleachers by referees and asked to relocate to the home side.
The Pumas had multiple long free kicks in the second half, but rarely maintained a sustained and threatening attack. Dalton Academy desperately pushed the ball offensively but were never able to break through Gilmer’s defense.
Curtis saved three more shots in the final 10 minutes, and Bobcat defensive back Domingo Reynoso-Loarca was there to turn the Pumas away multiple times over the remaining five minutes.
“Our defense is probably the strongest part of our game at the moment. We have been playing in a 4-3-3 formation, which allows us to defend with either four or seven depending on the opposition,” Phipps said.
The win improved Gilmer’s record to 4-2.
“We have been playing well so far this season, but we have not really clicked as a team yet mainly because we have not been able to have all of our starters available to us,” Phipps said. “Friday we had most of the players we needed, but we are still lacking one or two.
“On the whole, I was pleased with the performance, and it was great to see Melvin Oxlaj score a couple of really nice goals.”