Despite having to turn things around rather quickly in the game on Friday, the Londonderry Boys’ Soccer team was able to capture the only win for the Lancers over Pinkerton Academy during the 42nd annual Mack Plaque games.
The 4-1 victory was the second of two wins last week for the LHS boys, the squad now sits at 5-2-2 mid-way through the regular season. Pinkerton fell to 3-2-2.
Earlier in the week, the Lancer boys beat the Salem Blue Devils by the same 4-1 score.
In the victory at Salem High School, both team’s left the field at halftime without a goal.
In the second half, the Blue Devils were able to get on the board first, at 42:11 on a direct kick.
Following that, the LHS defense was able to keep their hosts away from the goal, with senior mid-fielders, Brett McKinnon and Zack Mantegari, getting a pair of goals to help solidify the three-point win.
Five minutes after the SHS goal, at 47:08, McKinnon tied the game at 1-1 when he put in a rebound coming off the leg of senior forward, Tiago Keye.
Mantegari and McKinnon combined efforts to go ahead 2-1 at 51:20.
At 70:24, McKinnon gave his team an unassisted insurance point.
The final goal was at 73:00, when Mantegari was once again assisted by McKinnon.
Senior LHS Keeper, Noah Celio, made just three saves while the Londonderry offense pressured the Salem goal tender with 17 shots at the net.
Head coach, Todd Ellis, is looking for consistency at this point in the season, saying, “We were a bit sluggish in the first half, however, we turned it on in the second half and played with the energy and execution we are capable of. Our goal is to have two consistent halves regardless of who we are playing.”
On Friday night, at home, against PA, the LHS boys needed to come from behind again, giving up the first goals just 30-seconds into the game, after the Lancers defense stopped an Astros advance, but PA was able to intercept a clear-out, leading to their only goal of the contest.
Celio could do little to defend the shot taken from just to the right of the penalty kick spot.
Londonderry rebounded nicely, scoring three goals and being given a gift by an Astros defender.
At 6:12 in the first, Mantegari tied the game after a shot by McKinnon was blocked by the Astros tender, and Mantegari belted in the rebound.
Junior Leo Sochanek gave his team the 2-1 lead at 11:02 when junior Khoi Totten fed him the ball from the penalty spot to the left of the net.
The Astros defense helped the Londonderry cause at 20:13 in the game when a pass back to the PA goal tender sailed over his head.
In the second half, at 79:00, Totten got his first varsity goal by following up a save made on a McKinnon direct kick.
Celio had three saves for LHS and the Pinkerton tender made four.
Ellis commented after the game, “I thought we rebounded really well after giving up such an early goal. I always like Mack Plaque for its tournament like atmosphere, and both sets of fans did not disappoint. We definitely learned some things from this game.”
The Lancers were scheduled to play at Hanover High School (6-3) on Tuesday followed by a home game against Portsmouth (4-3-1) on Thursday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m.