Header dooms Flames vs. Barons, 1-0

Ocean City, N.J. -- Team captain and center back Joe Banks scored on a diving header in the 25th minute to lift the Ocean City Barons to a 1-0 victory over the Westchester Flames in a Premier Development League game on Saturday night.

William Swetra's free kick set up the goal. Barons goalkeeper John Fogarty recorded his second career shutout in as many starts.

The Barons (5-1-1, 16 points) trail the Long Island Rough Riders (8-1-0, 24) in the Northeast Division while the Flames fell to 1-5-2.

The Barons are unbeaten in their last three games (2-0-1) against the Flames and lead the all-time series with Westchester, 5-2-1.

"We didn’t really have a different approach tonight [with Tuesday’s game looming]," said Barons assistant coach John Thompson, referring to Tuesday's Lamar Hunt/U.S. Open Cup match. "Long Island is playing well so we can’t afford any losses or draws, so we fought hard tonight."

The last time these two teams met was in the season opener at Carey Stadium when bad weather forced the game to be abandoned in the 58th minute.

Hard fought was a correct description for Saturday’s game. Fogarty was tested in the opening 20 minutes when a Westchester player cut into the box from the right side and fired a shot, forcing him to make a diving save.

Before Banks scored off a Swetra free kick, he had already put the ball into the back of the net, but it didn’t count. He received a ball in the air and headed it over the Flames goalkeeper who came off his line, but Kyle Millermade an attempt to play the ball in an offside position and the goal was waived off.

Banks finally got his goal in the 25th minute when Swetra struck a 35-yard free kick on the left wing. The 6-2 Banks, always a target on set pieces close to goal, faked a move to the outside, cut back inside, found some space and dived to the ground head first to meet the ball low. His diving header moved through traffic and into the back of the net for his second goal of the season.

"It’s always nice to help out," said Banks on his game-winning goal. The goal was the sixth in his six seasons with the Barons, his fourth in the last two years.

The Barons did not produce many chances the rest of the match. The best opportunity came when Jamal Neptune (Hofstra /East Windsor, N.J.) played a ball out to the wing for Neal Melchionni, who sent in a cross to Kyle Miller. Miller wheaded the ball right into the arms of the Flames goalkeeper.

Getting the team to avoid looking ahead was certainly an issue heading into Saturday’s contest. "We definitely had to make an effort to get everyone focused on today’s game," said Banks. "But we’re going to get a good training day in on Monday and we’re going to show up ready to play on Tuesday."

6/13/09