Last year, the Ocean City Barons had three opportunities to beat the expansion Newark Ironbound Express, and failed all three times with a pair of 1-1 draws and a 4-0 loss.

2009’s first match between the two clubs went decidedly different as the Barons traveled to Newark and dominated the Express 7-1 to remain unbeaten at 4-0-1. With the victory, Ocean City leapfrogs Newark into second place in the Northeast Division, two points behind first place Long Island, who has played one more game.

Last year, the Ocean City Barons had three opportunities to beat the expansion Newark Ironbound Express, and failed all three times with a pair of 1-1 draws and a 4-0 loss.
 

2009’s first match between the two clubs went decidedly different as the Barons traveled to Newark and dominated the Express 7-1 to remain unbeaten at 4-0-1. With the victory, Ocean City leapfrogs Newark into second place in the Northeast Division, two points behind first place Long Island, who has played one more game.

It was a barrage of goals as the Barons scored six in the second half, five of them by players coming off the bench. Ryan Richter (LaSalle / Southampton, PA) and Kyle Miller (Holy Cross / Woodbury, NJ) each scored a pair while Billy Pinto (Hofstra / Audubon, NJ) scored for the first time in five seasons with the club. Byron Carmichael (Marshall / Lumberton, NJ) and J.T. Noone (Temple / Harrisburg, PA) also added a goal and an assist each. The season high seven goals fell one short of the club record of goals in a game, set last year in an 8-1 win over the New Jersey Rangers.

"It was a real goalfest in Newark tonight," said head coach Neil Holloway. "I think this sends a message to the rest of the league that the Barons are the team to beat."

All eight goals in this match came after the 44th minute when Carmichael opened the scoring. Central defender Joe Banks (Drexel / Sicklerville, NJ) played a through ball in to Carmichael who dribbled around Newark goalkeeper John Steele, and slotted home his second goal of the season. The assist by Banks was his first in his six years with the club. 

At halftime, Coach Holloway inserted Ryan Richter into the lineup in an effort to inject a little more punch into the offense. That move paid off right away as Richter played an overlapping ball to Jamal Neptune (Hofstra / East Windsor, NJ) on the wing. Neptune then returned the favor, sending a cross to the top of the box where he found Richter who slammed a one-timer into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.

Seven minutes later, Richter struck again. After regaining the ball in midfield, Rory McCrea (Hofstra / Leeds, England) sent the ball out wide to the right side for the LaSalle product. He cut back in from the wing, and at the edge of the area, chipped the goalkeeper to the far post to put the Barons up by three.

Newark answered right back two minutes later when Patrick Figeuiredo sent a ball into the box from the left wing. Oral Bullen chested it down and struck a dipping volley into the top corner of the net, out of the reach of Barons goalkeeper Tunde Ogunbiyi (Boston College / Gwynedd, PA). It was the first goal that Ogunbiyi had allowed all season, ending a streak of 332 shutout minutes. As a team, the Barons’ shutout streak halted at 390 minutes, 70 short of the club record set in 2007 by Adam Edwards. Ogunbiyi finished the match with four saves.

However, less than 10 minutes later, the floodgates would open. In the 70th minute, Carmichael dribbled through traffic and found room for a left footed shot. The attempt beat the keeper, but rattled off the goal post. The rebounded was collected by Noone who punched home his second of the season. The assist by Carmichael was the 19th in his Barons career, moving him into a tie with Ruben Mingo for the most in club history.

Two minutes later, another second half sub found the scoresheet almost immediately as Kyle Miller scored thanks to an unselfish pass by Noone across goal for an easy tap in. Miller had been in the game less than a minute before scoring his first PDL goal in the 72nd minute.

Only five minutes had passed before a long-time Baron made some personal history. After five seasons with the club, Billy Pinto scored his first goal on a free kick by Leon Brown (Wheeling Jesuit / Sickerville, NJ). Brown took a free kick near midfield quickly, chipping the ball over the defense and catching them off guard. Pinto, who had entered the game three minutes earlier, ran onto it and fired the ball past the goalkeeper for his first PDL goal.

"He certainly celebrated as if it was his first goal," said Holloway. "He leaped in the air and did a little ’Super Mario Brothers’ fist pump. He was thrilled."

Finally, Jimmy Davis (LaSalle / Pottsgrove, PA) would help create the seventh goal on his 22nd birthday. Davis ran down the right wing and after drawing a couple of defenders toward him, he cut inside and lifted the ball to Kyle Miller in the box who nodded the ball in for his second goal of the game.

"With three of our subs scoring five of the seven goals tonight, it really shows what a deep team we have this year," said Holloway.

The club will play their fourth of six straight road games next Friday, June 5 when they travel to Ottawa to take on the Fury. The Men In Red haven’t faced Ottawa since July 16, 2006 when the Fury defeated the Barons, ending their club record 28-game home unbeaten streak. No club in the PDL has achieved a longer streak since the 2003 season.

The next home game in Ocean City isn’t until June 20 when they host the Brooklyn Knights.