Doer Mark Conrad hits a devilish cross. Conrad continued his hot form from last season scoring once and adding two assists.

Match Report

Shoreline, Wash. (Jan. 10th) -- Bumped up to division 2A, WDFC showed no signs of slowing – easily dispatching of Poi Dawgs 3-1 on Sunday. The Doers are fresh off a championship run that saw them clinch their first ever title.

Last season Poi Dawgs finished in third place in division 2A finishing with 5 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws before being bounced from the playoffs by Seattle Soccer Club.

With that in mind, WDFC took to the field cautiously for their watershed battle. From the kickoff it was apparent the Doers would run Poi Dawgs ragged. With Do-all striker Jesse Ramos teamed up with Wolfpack of One Mark Conrad, the Poi Dawgs backline were surely in for a long day.

Just ten minutes from the opening whistle Conrad made one of his customary pacy runs, before taking on two defenders. After a few quick feints he ripped a low ball across the face of goal. Ramos corralled the ball and fired home for opening goal.

“It was a great pass,” said Ramos who wears beanies, skinny jeans, and leather jackets. “I just turned with it and put the ball where the keeper wasn’t.”

Doer Jon Augustavo (middle) beats a Poi Dawg player as brother Nick Augustavo and Pat Cahill watch on. Augustavo missed a sitter.

With a goal in hand WDFC continued to use speed, youth and aggressiveness to beat the Poi Dawgs defense. But even a goal down Poi would not bend easily; bringing physicality the Doers have never faced before. On at least 10 occasions, the referee stopped play after a Poi player upended a Doer.

“They were bigger and stronger than us,” said manager Jon Augustavo who is rocking a slight mullet. “Usually we are the brutes out there but I think I was fouled four times in the first half alone.”

In the 16th minute WDFC would bulge the onion bag again. This time it was ever-present winger Elliot O’Connor who would light up the scoreboard. O’Connor was sprung free down the right flank with a perfectly weighted pass from Mark Conrad. O’Connor took two deft touches before slotting home for the goal.

“Mark worked hard for that one,” said O’Connor who wears kids size medium t-shirts. “I just wanted to reward him by putting that one away.”

Throughout the rest of the half WDFC dominated possession, but did not manage to tally the score sheet again. And because of the 22’s indomitable backline, WDFC would not concede a goal in the half. The backline of Eric Yates, Eric Englund, Nick Augustavo and Pat Cahill played in perfect symphony, thwarting all attacks sent their way. The most dangerous occasion came when a Poi striker was sprung loose for a one on one with keeper Martin Sanchez. The mammoth Mexican gave up body and soul spreading out to parry the shot, it is said shouts of “pare gigante” were heard near the WDFC touchline. Despite the effort the ball somehow squirted behind Sanchez. With the ball free in the box a Poi striker pounced, but steady leftback Patr Cahill used precision and power to clear the ball from the open striker.

Doer Eric Yates makes one of his customary runs before sending a dangerous effort on frame. Yates made several goal saving stops during the game.

“That was a close one,” said Cahill who sleeps with towels. “I really messed up my foot on that one, but it was worth it to save a goal.”

At the close of the half the Doers were up two goals but had no plans of slowing down in the second 45 minutes.

Just five minutes in, Conrad would grab his own goal after Jesse Ramos split the defense with a masterful through ball. With just one defender to beat, Conrad turned him inside out with shakes only Eddy Mazon could appreciate, before placing a ball past the helpless opposition keeper.

“Mark made him look silly,” said Doer Derek Long who is a grown up. “The guy looked helpless with him (Conrad) bearing down on him, and look what happened. Boom. Goal.”

Now up three goals, WDFC eased the attack hoping to kill the game, but Poi would begin pushing nine players into the attack. On one occasion Doer debutant Paul Mai cleared a ball off the line to preserve the shutout. But as what is the case in most games, WDFC failed to keep the opposition out of their bag.

In the 75th minute a sloppy clearance allowed a Poi player enough space to pull a shot from nearly 30 yards out. The well-placed effort beat Sanchez to give Poi a brief but fleeting moment of happiness during the game.

Next up is Seattle Soccer Club whom WDFC holds a 1-1-0 record against all-time.

Notes: Matt Clark made his debut for the club. Clark was signed from Brodies FC for an undisclosed fee.
Striker Drew Triplett, who is nursing a labia tear, played for Work In Progress FC in the hopes of regaining his fitness.

Copyright 2010 Work Doers FC