COLTS STUMBLE AT HOME AGAINST SYRACUSE FC

Portland, Conn. – After starting the 2024 National Premier League Soccer (NPSL) Regular Season with a three-match unbeaten run, Hartford City FC (2-2-1, 7 points) dropped their second straight contest as they fell to Syracuse FC (3-2-0, 9 points) 2-0 on Saturday evening at Oakwood Soccer Park.

Both sides created one clear cut chance each over the first half hour of the contest. Hartford City’s best moment going forward came in the 15^th minute when Patrick Osiecki clipped a ball from his right back position in the direction of Evan Southern at the left edge of the box. Southern, who created several chances for himself over the course of the second half, laid the ball off to Nate Becher who in turn found the onrushing Andrew Bilbie at the top of the box. But his side-footed effort was smothered by Syracuse goalie Andrew Taylor. The lone chance from the visitors in the first half came from a 25-yard free kick from Riley Williams, who scored the game-winner via a set piece from a similar spot last weekend at Kingston Stockade, but it was struck at HCFC’s Nate DiLoreto.

The hosts did apply the pressure late in the first half as they forced Taylor into two key saves in the final seven minutes of the half, first tipping Alonzo Clarke’s long-distance strike around the post in the 39^th minute and then made a great reflex save on Southern’s point blank chance in the 44^th minute. Those saves were crucial for Syracuse FC because not only did it keep the game tied heading into halftime, but it spurred the visitors to come out of the blocks quickly in the second half.

That momentum grew even more for Syracuse as they scored the opening goal just three minutes into the second half as from a long throw into the box, Cailen Thomas flicked it towards the back post and Scott Schuyler won the race to the spot before tapping it into the open net.

Hartford City nearly scored the equalizer in the 58^th minute when Jake Williams picked out Clarke inside the box on a free kick and the towering midfielder headed it across goal to find Eamon Moylan, only to see his near post header pop over the bar. The hosts came close again in the 67^th minute when second half substitute Noah Silverman made a deceptive run towards the edge of the box and was picked out by Williams, and he clipped his effort over the goalie, but it hit the wrong side of the crossbar and stayed out.

Syracuse punished Hartford City for the missed chances less than two minutes later when Riley Williams unleashed a near 30-yard laser into the top corner to double the visitors’ advantage.

The hosts created a few more chances in the final twenty minutes to get back into the match, two each from Southern and second half substitute Tomas Duben, but nothing really tested Taylor who was able to see out the match and pick up his first clean sheet of the season.

Hartford City FC kick off the second half of their North Atlantic Conference regular season schedule next Sunday, June 9^th, as they travel to the Garden State to take on New Jersey United AC. That match will be played at St. Joseph High School (145 Plainfield Ave, Metuchen, NJ, 08840) and is scheduled to kick off at 5pm.

June 6 at 11:08 am