It was a frustrating week for coach Ron Miller and the Solanco boys soccer team. Entering the week on a three-game win streak, the Mules dropped two games and Miller said the officiating played a role in both defeats. Undefeated Manheim Central topped Solanco 1-0 Saturday. The Barons' goal came on a penalty kick in the 18th minute. Two things about the penalty kick call upset Miller. To begin with, he did not think any kind of foul had been committed. He was also perturbed that the call was made by the referee stationed about 40 yards from the play and not the one standing seven yards away. "There was nothing there," said Miller. "The whistle was blowing as (Solanco defender) Matt Gote was clearing the ball. Even the Central coach said it was a bad call." Solanco's performance was encouraging. "The boys went toe-to-toe with them for 80 minutes," Miller said. "We had a couple opportunities we missed including an open net four minutes in." The coach was proud of the way his team played. "It was 80 minutes of tremendous soccer," said Miller. "At halftime the boys were saying that they didn't think Manheim Central was that good. I told them, "They are good. They're very good. You guys are very good, too, and that's why it's an even game." Miller said goalkeeper Robert Beard and the defense had a strong game. Miller initially thought the Mules had been awarded a penalty kick in the second half. But the same referee who called the penalty in Central's favor in the first half consulted with the second referee, who had made the original call. They decided another foul had been called moments before and ruled that foul came outside of the penalty area. "The whole team played their butts off," he said. "It's probably the best game of soccer we've played this year. It's a shame to lose on that kind of call." Ephrata topped the Mules 5-0 Monday, September 15. The Mounts had 12 players on the field when they scored the go-ahead goal 15 minutes into the contest. Miller pleaded his case to the referee, but to no avail. He said the referee told him he allowed the goal because Solanco had 12 players on the field earlier in the game and was not penalized. Miller acknowledged the Mules had 12 players on the field for a stretch but he wasn't buying that reasoning. "In both cases the extra player should've been given a yellow card," he said. "That's the way the rule is." Disturbed by what Miller felt was a poor decision by the referee, the Mules allowed two more goals before halftime. That same official awarded Ephrata two penalty kicks in the second half and they converted both. "Clearly (Ephrata) had 12 men on the field the entire game," said Miller, referring to that official. Solanco was scheduled to travel to Lebanon this week but that game was postponed to Saturday, October 4. Originally slated for last Wednesday, Miller requested the game be changed to Thursday because of the Solanco Fair Parade. Lebanon agreed to the switch but did not arrange for referees on Thursday. The Mules are 3-4-2 heading into Tuesday night's home game vs. Lampeter-Strasburg. "We have to move on," said Miller. "It's a rematch of that 0-0 double-overtime thriller earlier in the season." Comments are closed.
|
Archives
August 2023
Categories
All
|