The FURY continued their playoff chase on Sunday with a match against the injury-ridden Westchester Flames. FURY Head Coach Stephen O'Kane fielded a line-up that was vastly different from Saturday's match against Cape Cod. The changes saw Justin Dasah insert up front and the changes appeared to provide the right spark as Dasah notched a hat-trick helping the FURY to a critical 3-2 victory.The changes would pay great dividends for Ottawa, but they would first have to endure a long Westchester attacking spell as the Flames exposed the left flank for two good early chances. In the 8th minute Sam Bailey would collect a low cross inside the six-yard-box, but he mishit his simple tap-in and Erik Lefebvre was able to save what should have been a sure goal from point-blank range. Minutes later, the dangerous Michael Konikoff raced up the wing and cut it back for a free volley by Brian Kuritzky at the top of the 18 that sailed high to the Fury's relief.
Ottawa was under pressure, but in the 22nd minute the Fury would score what will inevitably be the easiest goal of the 2008 season. A failed through-ball that should have been an easy situation caused a mix-up between a Westchester defender and the keeper, allowing Justin Dasah to glide in, scoop up the ball and literally walk it into the net. As the Flames' keeper and defenders watched helplessly, Ottawa celebrated their first goal of the match.
Post-goal, the momentum swung greatly in favour of the Fury, but in the 37th minute against the run of play Michael Konikoff would have a moment of brilliance to even the match at 1-1. Faced with a right sided free-kick from 25 yards, Konikoff used his left to strike it around the wall and low into the bottom-left corner of the net. The goal stunned the crowd but it would be Westchester's last bright moment of the half. Both Matthew Rigby and Jamie Ramm would have golden chances in separate scrambles in the box. Rigby seeing his effort blocked while Ramm would be robbed by the keeper from a mere 4-5 yards out.
Before the half ended however, Ottawa would regain the lead. Roland Tiamuh made a sparkling run in midfield past one defender, and held off another to send a through ball to Justin Dasah who timed his run superbly and cooly slotted it past the keeper in the box. A well-worked goal, it sent the Fury deservedly up 2-1 into the dressing rooms with 45 minutes played.
The second-half would start slowly, with neither team seriously threatening until Justin Dasah once again took the game into his hands. With the Fury playing fluid passing football in the midfield, Dasah latched onto a Will Beaugé through-ball and was in alone on goal. In the same situation as the second Fury goal, this time Westchester keeper James Hilaire pulled off a great diving stop to deny Dasah. On the ensuing corner Dasah would however exact his revenge as he headed in Kenneth Caceros' cross at the far post to complete his hat-trick.
With the scoreline 3-1, Ottawa began to ring in substitutions and attempted to close the game out. Erik Lefebvre would come to Ottawa's rescue with two great saves late in the second half. From a corner, the ball would drop to Brian Kuritzky who made amends for his first-half miss by drilling a volley that was superbly saved by Lefebvre as he leaped to palm the ball away at full stretch. Seconds later Lefebvre was at it again, backpeddaling and doing very well to tip over the bar a Josh Trott chip.
Despite Lefebvre's heroics, a tense injury time was set-up by Kuritzky, who would undoubtedly score the game's best goal on 89 minutes. The Westchester player dashed up the right side, cut in past a defender across goal and blasted a left-footed curler into the top of the net in full stride from 20 yards out. Although it was a great individual effort, the goal would not be enough for Westchester as the Fury hung on in injury time for a 3-2 win.
The victory maintained Ottawa's undefeated home record, which now stands at 5-0-2. The Fury's next set of games are this weekend when they go on the road to play crucial matches against the Cape Cod Crusaders (Saturday, July 12), and the Rhode Island Stingrays (Sunday, July 13). The PDL team's final home game is on Wednesday, July 16 when the New Hampshire Phantoms visit the Algonquin College Sports Complex (kickoff 6:00 p.m.).
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