Visiting Alisal keeps Haybalers off the scoreboard en route to
4-0 win
HOLLISTER
Having not played a game in nearly a month, the shorthanded San Benito boys soccer team was unable to start 2009 fresh on Tuesday when it lost to the defending league champion Alisal Trojans 4-0 in Hollister.
Sans four starters, including two forwards, a mid and a goalie – all were on vacation, San Benito head coach Ramiro Ramos said – the Haybalers couldn’t keep pace with the Trojans early on and fell behind late when Alisal pocketed three second-half scores.
“They were small and quick,” Ramos said. “I like the way they played – very clean, nice passing – and that was the key that put us away.”
Ramos added that his San Benito squad, which hadn’t played since a 5-1 defeat to Palma on Dec. 11, started strong, applying a couple of high-percentage shots on net.
“But after the 13th minute, it wasn’t pretty,” said Ramos, as Alisal went up 1-nil in the 13th minute, a lead they held until halftime.
“They were beating us to the ball. I didn’t like the passing in the game,” Ramos added. “They were pressuring and not giving us much of a chance to do anything with the ball.”
San Benito falls to 0-2 in the TCAL, 3-6 overall.
Ramos said the Trojans (2-1 TCAL, 3-5-1), which were a physical team last year when they went 10-0-2 in league, weren’t as big or imposing on Tuesday. But they certainly made up for their lack of size with speed and agility.
“They had a lot of quick players,” Ramos said. “Very organized.”
San Benito will return to the pitch Thursday when they take on North Salinas on the road. Kick-off is at 3:30 p.m.
TEAM 1 2 F
AL 1 3 4
SB 0 0 0
