After a pair of quality training days, the Big Red was happy to host the Huskies of New Hampton on Hunt Field.  It would be another solid performance by the Big Red and it would be for the second game in a row that fourth former Hank Hayne would be the difference maker.  The first half saw both teams feel each other out and try to possess the ball.  New Hampton moved the ball well through the midfield.  SPS found space wide to attack and moved the ball from side to side.  Will Iler and Matt Baptiste had chances. With seventeen minutes to play in the half, Nikita Duncan had the hosts best chance as he used his speed to create a partial breakaway and forced the New Hampton keeper to make an impressive low ball save.  As the half came to a close, Jai Perry-Pereira also had a clean strike towards the goal.  Unfortunately, no netting was found and the half ended nil – nil. 
The second half the Big Red had a few more chances.   Just minutes into the half Alex de Burgh Codrington had a quality strike to the far post.  Will Iller made it very difficult for New Hampton to play out of the back as he pressured everyone.  With 21:30 to go in the contest a long throw in by AJ Zoltowski fell to the foot of Hank Hayne about 15 yds from goal.  Hank wasted no time in striking a clean side volley to the far side netting.  Euphoria erupted for the Big Red side.  As so often happens when a team takes a lead, there can be a brief mental lapse. Three minutes later the Huskies had a throw in of their own.  The ball bounced in the box and the New Hampton striker was suddenly alone in front of the SPS net.  Keeper Leo Colinet came up absolutely huge as he stopped a point-blank shot to preserve the clean sheet.  It was not a busy afternoon for Colinet, but that one save was the difference between a tie and a Lakes Region victory. SPS tried to add to their lead as Iler, Perry-Pereira and Bright Tweneboah all had dangerous chances.  A strong performance by the Big Red side earned them their second victory in a row.  All to play for.

On Saturday the Big Red begins a seven-day stretch with four games which should be a lot of fun and an excellent challenge for the squad as the season heads towards the finish.  It begins with a trip Saturday night to Exeter, NH. 

Go Big Red!