Broncos, Cougars settle for scoreless draw in MSL play

 

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By Mike Garofola

A final that looked to be headed to OT did just that on Tuesday night.

Barrington and Conant played to a 0-0 draw in Hoffman Estates in a match littered with fouls at times, and at other times, as if it were a track meet with its end-to-end play, unfortunately leading to neither side finding the back of the net, with each club earning a deserved one point in the MSL table after the 100-minute match.

"Kind of a typical MSL match, wouldn't you say?" said Conant head coach Jason Franco.

"It was a hard-played match, with plenty of everything, for everyone, and even though we weren't able to get three points tonight, I have to say that I was happy with the way we fought all night against a solid Barrington team."

Franco, who is slowly getting all of his injured players back and fit, including backline star Curtis King (ankle sprain), figured each club owned parts of the match throughout the cool night.

The Cougars (4-3-3, 2-1-1) opened strong, fell off a bit, then recording a fair finish, until the two 10-minute extra periods slowed a bit as tired legs began to take its toll.

"I liked the way we played in the opening 20 minute, we were finding (feet) in additon to Tristan (Conrad) and Joey Bosco in the middle, but (Barrington) took the play back for the last 20 minutes of the half, and we had to defend (a little) better and try to get ourselves organized," Franco said.

Although the home-side dominated possession in the first 20 minutes, it never really put together any direct chances on the visitors, and its keeper, Max Redpath.

It wasn't for a lack of effort from its aforementioned duo in the middle, as well as Andres Alfaro, Zach Conrad and Nathan Cornell, and at times, Billy Belmonte and King, who each came forward to join the attack out of the back.

"I've seen a change in the way we play (of) late because we're finally healthy, and when we get (Michael) Natalino back, then our attack should begin to get even better," offered Tristan Conrad.

Although the Broncos (2-6-2, 0-1-1) have been entrenched in a scoring slump, both head coach Scott Steib, and one of his best in his first-11, Ethan Claes, feels the effort has been there to end its scoring woes - and that better times are ahead if they can get that break-out goal.

"We're really training and working hard to find ways to get into the back of the net, and tonight we had a couple of good chances to do so, but I am thinking if we can one (goal) then a few others will follow, and then maybe things will open up for us," said Claes.

Claes, along with Bryan Adams, Reid Strain and Danny Jaderholm, found themselves in the area, and close to Cougars keeper Sean Cox - only to fail to put one in.

"Ethan is right, we need to get a few (in) and our confidence in (our) ability to score will increase," Steib said.

"But we've got to be sharper in our opponent's third, and maybe take a few chances on taking guys on, or even just shooting when we're in close - hoping for a deflection, or corner, or something to go our way," offered Steib, who has watched his lads go scoreless in three of their last six matches, while striking for just three goals during that span.

Claes would be in the middle of a chance in which Strain eventually had a go at Cox at 11 minutes, with Mark Plescia initiating things up the left side with Claes - then minutes later, the Broncos' MF roared up the left side, and broke free and linked with Adams, whose shot at the near post was handled well by Cox once again.

"We came out with a little different formation (at) the start, and once we got a little more comfortable (playing) that way, we got forwarded a lot more than we did in the first half," offered Claes.

Play got a little ragged during the final quarter hour, with neither side making a serious breakthrough during that time, although Craig Zahour, who was moved into the middle of the park by Steib from his spot as sweeper, was able to get a shot on frame at 33 minutes, while a trio of flags slowed the Broncos against the Cougars, who ran the offsides trap to perfection.

Barrington was in the ascendency after the break, brought on mostly from its ability to find feet and some pace, particularly through the middle with Zahour and Claes helping to increase the possession percentage for the visitors.

Claes and Plescia were at it again to give Strain a chance near the spot - but the senior was unable to challenge Cox with his shot - then later, the senior ran onto a well-served ball over the top from Jaderholm, and this time, Cox won the 50-50 ball to help keep things even.

In between, the Cougars enjoyed some good moments of their own during the second period, but they to, just as their opponent, could not find the decisive pass or killer touch in the final third to get into the back of the net.

Silas Lin, who provided some wonderful service for the Cougars on his free-kick opportunities all night long, forced Redpath to punch away an attempt at the hour mark which could have been dangerous if not for his well-timed work in the air.

"I thought we did a good job of creating some good chances at different times of the game, but it was tough (going) once either team got in really close tonight," said Franco.

Space opened up in OT - but the tiring players struggled to make use of it - while each backline tightened things up to help make sure nothing would get through to cause an abrupt end to the match.

Conant's King, Belmonte and Dan Ruzich kept nearly everything in front of them during the two 10-minute extra periods, except for a nervous sequence during the second OT session in which Strain had a clear look at Cox at 98 minutes - and seconds later when Jaderholm was beaten to a ball at the endline by Cox.

Colter Williams, John Gallagher and Brian Sheetz, all first-year players for Steib and his staff, managed things well along the back from the final 10 minutes of regulation - right through the end of the match - but the Broncos' faithful held its breathe when a superb run and carry from Zach Conrad saw the Cougar senior hauled down at the top of the box.

In anticipation of a free kick from that spot, and a chance to win in sudden death, the Cougars' bench and their fans could not believe when the center official kept his whistle at his side - instead telling both sides to play on in the 86th minute.

"There was a lot of up-and-down play out there tonight, and it never really slowed down for 100 minutes, but I feel this was a good result for us against a team that plays hard, and makes you earn everything you get out there," said Tristan Conrad.