The Garden City Demons escaped Soccer Park in Plainview last Saturday with a 2-1 win over the Rockville Centre (RVC) Red Devils and they were very fortunate to have done so. The first place Demons were facing a Red Devils team whose 1-4 record coming into the match belied their ability and skill. The Red Devils played with a sense of urgency throughout the match and they gave the Demons plenty of fits in their bid to knock off Nassau Division 2's top team.

No matter what the sport, the potential to defeat the top dog is something most teams relish. The Red Devils, currently residing near the bottom of the division were clearly up for the Demons and came out with a strong mid-field and speedy forwards. Their passing was quick and they dogged the Demons for every 50/50 ball. Garden City, starting with Peter Escribano up front with Matthew Rogers and Danny Simmons and midfielders Carney Mahon and Greg Vouzianas, had to battle for every offensive chance. Likewise, Mark DeSantis, Jack Tigh, and Dale Stasco were given all they could handle by the Red Devil strikers who worked center, left and right as they tried to penetrate through to Ray Leto in the goal. Several times the Red Devil midfielders passed a through ball to a threatening striker but the ball was either kicked aside by the Demon defense, or Leto was in position to grab it. The action was back and forth with each team getting chances to further the ball up the field. The Red Devils appeared a step ahead of the Demons and had the early advantage in shots at the net. On one such occurrence, a direct kick was awarded to the Red Devils several yards above Leto's eighteen. The RVC striker launched a kick that cleared the human wall. Leto jumped to make the save, the ball hitting the crossbar and landing back into his hands. It was the Demons who broke through first on a tremendous effort by Carney Mahon winning a 50/50 ball, taking it up the sideline with a defender in virtual lock-step. Just before reaching the end line, Mahon crossed the ball into the goalmouth where Danny Simmons one touched it into the net for his first goal of the season. The momentum swung to the Demons as the goal seemed to get them pepped up. Moments afterward, Simmons had another chance inside the box and got off a shot from Dale Stascos corner kick and hit the post. The ball rebounded right back to the Red Devil goalkeeper. Soon after that Matthew Rogers received a clearing pass from Mark DeSantis and let go a shot that struck the cross-bar. The goalie again was there for the rebound. Moments later another of his shots skimmed along the ground just past the far post. Another pass by DeSantis from a throw-in position to Kevin Mullin resulted in Mullin hitting the post. Such chances stirred the Red Devils and back to the attack they went. Their tenacity in midfield paid off as moments from the end of the half a pesky striker battled for control of the ball in the Demon half of the field, gained control and scored the equalizer. RVC nearly took the lead moments later on a corner kick that bounced around on the Demons doorstep. As a RVC player struck the ball, Mark DeSantis, protecting against the far left post, headed it off the goal line and out of danger and the half ended at 1-1.

As the second half commenced, the tempo of the game increased and one quickly sensed that the next goal scored would be huge. For teams with such opposite records, the game was uncomfortably close. The Red Devil defense became stingy and when Rogers, Mahon and Jack Gillan had the ball, playmaking was difficult due to hard challenges and tackles. Mike Randazzo joined the trio and provided speed. There were some tense moments for the Demons as on several plays Red Devil strikers mounted odd man rushes, but Jack Tigh, Will Harrington and Mark DeSantis broke up the plays just feet in front Leto. Toward the midway point of the half the Demons were awarded a direct kick from about 25 yards in front of the goalkeeper, but Dale Stasco's kick sailed over the net. Moments later the Demons won a couple of consecutive corner kicks but could not convert. The key moment of the game came after RVC's goalkeeper scooped up a ball inside his area. As he jogged forward preparing to punt the ball up the -field, he stepped outside the eighteen and the referee immediately blew her whistle signaling a direct kick for the Demons. As RVC scrambled to form a human wall, Jack Gillan, Matt Rogers, Danny Simmons, Mike Randazzo and Greg Vouzianas prepared to converge on the net. Dale Stasco set the ball and Coach Gillan could be heard instructing him to keep the ball away from the goalkeeper. Stasco executed his kick perfectly. He lofted the ball toward the mass of forwards and it was Jack Gillan, so masterful in the air, who knocked a header into the top right corner of the net for the deciding score. The Demons celebrated as they jogged back toward midfield and after the final whistle blew signaling the end of match, a collective sigh of relief was heard by the many fans on the sidelines.

The team will play the Farmingdale Cosmos this Saturday. Let's go Demons!