The Ocean City Barons, playing in their second game in as many nights, finished in a scoreless draw with the Fredericksburg Gunners on Sunday night. Adam Edwards earned his fourth straight shutout, fifth of the season, and the Barons’ defense extended their team record to 416 minutes without conceding a goal. With five clean sheets, Edwards ties the Barons’ record for shutouts in a season held by Patrick Hannigan in 2004 and Guy Hertz in 2003.

Even more impressive was the fact that the Barons kept the Gunners off the scoresheet despite playing a man down for the majority of the second half. The Ocean City Barons, playing in their second game in as many nights, finished in a scoreless draw with the Fredericksburg Gunners on Sunday night. Adam Edwards earned his fourth straight shutout, fifth of the season, and the Barons’ defense extended their team record to 416 minutes without conceding a goal. With five clean sheets, Edwards ties the Barons’ record for shutouts in a season held by Patrick Hannigan in 2004 and Guy Hertz in 2003.

 

Ocean City Barons All-Time Records
Most shutouts in a season
Adam Edwards (2007)	5  (6 games)
Patrick Hannigan (2004)	5  (10 games)
Guy Hertz (2003)	5  (13 games)

Even more impressive was the fact that the Barons kept the Gunners off the scoresheet despite playing a man down for the majority of the second half.

"The game was really played between the 18s," said Barons’ head coach Mike Pellegrino. "We were a little sluggish, and the guys just weren’t ready to go after playing a game the night before."

In the opening ten minutes, Fredericksburg’s Anthony Andrews failed to convert on two breakaways. One of them was sent over the bar, and the second was saved by Edwards, one of his four saves in the game.

The game produced few highlights, and became rather physical as time wore on, with 34 fouls committed between the two teams. However, the two biggest fouls were committed by Ocean City defender Joe Banks. After receiving a yellow card at the end of the first half, Banks was shown his second yellow in the 56th minute and was sent off after a hard tackle.

Adam Edwards, on his way to another clean sheet.

"The strange this is, we played better soccer after Joe was sent off," said Pellegrino. "We created some opportunities, but we weren’t able to put one in."

With the Barons down to ten men, Fredericksburg pushed for the game-winner, but the Barons’ backline held strong, keeping the game scoreless. The Gunners outshot the Barons 12-9 in the game.

It was the first draw of the season for the Barons, bringing their record to 5-0-1 (16 points). The point brings them into a tie for first place in the Mid-Atlantic Division with the Hampton Roads Piranhas.

Next up for the Barons is their home date with the USL Second Division’s Crystal Palace Baltimore in the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the main ticket gate at Carey Stadium, $6 for adults and $4 for kids. Fans not able to make it out to Ocean City for the match can listen to a live radio broadcast through the Barons’ official website at www.ocbarons.com.