OCEAN CITY, NJ (July 9, 2006) The Ocean City Barons kicked off their season-ending five-game home stand with a convincing 6-1 win over the Brooklyn Knights on Sunday night. Byron Carmichael scored two goals and added an assist, while Ryan Heins scored his first of the year and assisted on two others to help Ocean City set a season high for goals in a game. The Barons improve to 5-2-5 (20 points) on the season, and are now in sole possession of second place in the Northeast division. The win also extends the Barons' regular season home unbeaten streak to 27 games.

Carmichael opened the scoring in the 3rd minute when Heins slipped him a through ball in between the defense. He managed to fight off a defender, regain his composure and send a rocket into the upper corner of the net for the game's first goal.

"After they we got the first goal, the confidence was there," said player/coach John Thompson. "Once the confidence was up, the goals just kept on coming."

The Lumberton, NJ native would strike again, this time on a header by Jeremy Ortiz in the middle of the field. Ortiz headed the ball to the feet of Carmichael who managed to fight through the defense once again and slot home his 5th goal of the season.

The first half was dominated by the Barons, owning the majority of the possession, and the second half wasn't much different. Carmichael's hard work created the third goal in the 59th minute. The Barons found themselves on a counter attack with numbers going forward. Carmichael slid on the ground to win a 50-50 ball on the right wing, he was the first one to his feet, took the ball and carried it into the penalty area. With options across the field, he elected to pass it to Heins, who was trailing behind the play, and the Temple product hammered the ball into the back of the net to make it 3-0.

It was a rather one-sided affair until the Knights showed signs of life in the 69th minute. Brooklyn midfielder Joshua Alarcon dropped a corner kick into the center of the penalty area and the ball found it's way to the foot of Guy Kpene who made no mistake from point blank range.

The Barons recovered by opening the game up three minutes later when Heins and Knights' goalkeeper Tommy Johansen leaped in the air for a cross from the right wing. Johansen won the jump ball but lost control of the ball as he hit the ground. Heins was very alert and poked the loose ball toward goal and Ortiz was there to tap it home for his team-leading seventh goal of the year. Johansen was injured on the play and had to be removed from the game. He was replaced by the last remaining sub on the bench, Tony Hernandez.

Kpene nearly added a second goal ten minutes later when his shot at the top of the box was stopped by Issey Maholo who dove to his right to make his best save of the night.

The floodgates continued to open in the 84th when second half subs Scott Hawkins and Ruben Mingo combined to add the fifth. Both players who were seeking their first tallies of the year combined on the goal as Mingo was sent through the middle of the box on a nice pass from the wing. He seemed destined to put away his first of the year when he dribbled around the keeper, but his touch to the right was a little strong and Hawkins was there to pounce on the loose ball and buried it past a diving Hernandez.

Mingo would eventually get his first in second half stoppage time when A.J. Colubiale picked up an assist that won't show up on the scoresheet. Colubiale sent in a centering pass from the left wing but suffered a late tackle inside the penalty box after he let the pass go. The Barons were awarded a penalty kick, and Mingo stepped to the spot and converted it to complete the scoring.

"It was great to see those boys (Hawkins, Mingo, Heins) break their scoring jinx," said Thompson. "The offense isn't doing anything different, they're working just as hard but the difference tonight was that they found the back of the net."

The win puts the Barons in good position for a playoff berth. They will attempt to create some space at the top when they take on the Delaware Dynasty on Wednesday. The game is part two of a doubleheader at Carey Stadium with the South Jersey Banshees and the New Jersey Wildcats squaring off in a W-League match beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Barons and Dynasty are scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. There will not be a live audio broadcast of Wednesday's game.

Scoring Summary:

OC Byron Carmichael (Ryan Heins) 3
OC Byron Carmichael (Jeremy Ortiz) 37
OC Ryan Heins (Byron Carmichael) 59
BK Guy Kpene (Joshua Alacon) 69
OC Jeremy Ortiz (Ryan Heins) 72
OC Scott Hawkins (Ruben Mingo) 84
OC Ruben Mingo (PK) 90+

Statistics:

Ocean City: 18 shots, 3 saves, 19 fouls, 4 corner kicks, 7 offsides

Brooklyn: 9 shots, 8 saves, 13 fouls, 2 corner kicks, 4 offsides