Cameron Road Continues to Impress in a 1-1 Draw

Playing perhaps its best half of footy this season, Cameron Road United continued their good form on their way to a 1-1 draw with Austin Athletic Club – a team that usually causes them fits.

In a crucial game against a top team, Cameron Road hoped to keep the momentum of the previous 3 weeks going and continue their climb to the upper half of the D2 table.

From the opening kickoff, Cameron Road was in control of the game, passing the ball around the park and controlling the tempo. In fact, it was several minutes into the game until Austin Athletic Club actually possessed the ball.

The first chance came when Willis got a ball deep in the left hand corner and fired a shot in across goal. Unfortunately there was no one there to knock it in, but it served as a warming to the AAC defense that Cameron Road would not simply sit back and defend.

Making an immediate impact was the team’s latest newlywed, Scott. Starting off on the right flank, Scott began his usual runs up and down the field. Unfortunately, after slipping down inside the box, a ball pinged off of him while he was on the ground and AAC was awarded a penalty. Cruel. So cruel. But with brave determination and cat-like reflexes, Jay dove to his left and said “not so fast my friend…” as he pawed away the shot out of danger.

Escaping an early setback, Cameron Road continued to pass the ball around with Scott, Way, Leif, Dermot, BT and Peterson intertwined in midfield.

On defense, Billy seems to have found a nice home at right back, calmly thwarting away would be attackers (yes, I said calmly), and passing the ball out of trouble with certainty. Crosley silently went about his business as usual on the opposite side, hoping to impress his rent-a-baby on the sidelines.

Cuyler and Bob anchored the center of defense, while Willis and Chappy tried to get in behind the meaty Austin Athletic Club’s D.

Cameron Road struck first blood with a beautiful “Clark Field Special” from Leif, who fired in a curling shot into the top corner. The same shot he was seen pumping into the net at practice 2 weeks earlier time after time. A beautiful shot from Dr. Sherry, who will certainly earn an A+ for the effort, if not the haircut.

Austin Athletic Club also came hunting for a goal in the first half, but had only a shot clang off the crossbar for their efforts.

At half time, up a goal on one of the toughest teams in the league, spirits were high on the sideline, as well as in Scott Boynkin’s lungs as he watched his ninth game of the afternoon.

Heading into the second half, Cameron Road continued to pass the ball around but the tempers started to flair – mostly from within the Austin Athletic Club ranks. As they started to press for the tying goal, they started to rattle a bit, and the referee had to earn his money sifting through their constant abuse. On the defensive side of the ball, it was Cameron Road who was dishing out the abuse, mainly at the mercy of The Kraken… who earned himself a nice little yellow card for a destructive tackle.

After 80 minutes or so of a close game, Austin Athletic Club finally broke through and scored the tying goal, making for a mad dash to the finish. Even though Cameron Road started to drop back a bit more in defense, they still went looking for the winning goal. Leif had several runs deep into the AAC’s half, and had to be restrained by the pit crew after being on the wrong side of a bad call by the ref. Willis came closest to the winner at the end, but the keeper made a great diving grab of his close angle shot.

At the final whistle it ended up tied at one a piece. A great result for Cameron Road who gained points for the third consecutive game.

Man-of-the-Match: With a sweet goal and a fiery attitude, Leif dominated the MOTM voting this week. I’m sure Dr. Sherry will hang his plaque next to his many academic honors on his U.T. office wall.