The Ocean City Barons extended their unbeaten streak to four games with a 3-2 victory over the New Jersey Rangers on Tuesday night. Byron Carmichael (Marshall / Lumberton, NJ) scored two goals including a 60th minute game-winner at Morris Catholic High School in Denville, NJ. The goals were the 49th and 50th of his Barons career, giving him a team-high nine goals in 13 league matches in 2009 (11 goals in all competitions).

 

Ocean City 3:2 New Jersey Morris Catholic HS - Denville, NJ. Follow the Barons: Twitter | Facebook

Barons Lineup	School / Hometown
GK - Jordan Bar	Fairfield / Centerville, MA
DEF - Jamal Neptune	Hofstra / East Windsor, NJ
DEF - Neal Melchionni	Lehigh / Marmora, NJ
MID - Leon Brown	Wheeling Jesuit (’04) / Sicklerville, NJ
DEF - Joe Banks	Drexel (’07) / Sicklerville, NJ
DEF - Ryan Richter	LaSalle / Southampton, PA
MID - Billy Pinto	Hofstra / Audubon, NJ
MID - Rory McCrea	Hofstra / Leeds, England
MID - William Swetra	James Madison / Egg Harbor, NJ
FWD - J.T. Noone	Temple / Harrisburg, PA
FWD - Byron Carmichael	Marshall (’03) / Lumberton, NJ
Substitutes
Junior Chapman	LaSalle / Winslow, NJ
Austin Johnson	LaSalle / Middle Twp, NJ
Jamal Neptune	Hofstra / East Windsor, NJ
Dan Korenyi	LaSalle / Cinneminson, NJ
Scoring Summary
15th (OCEAN CITY)	J.T. Noone (Penalty Kick)
20th (NEW JERSEY)	Marko Ciklic (Raphael Martinez)
32nd (OCEAN CITY)	Byron Carmichael (J.T. Noone)
44th (NEW JERSEY)	Andrew Fraser (Boris Shabovta)
60th (OCEAN CITY)	Byron Carmichael (William Swetra)
Game Stats	OCEAN CITY						NEW JERSEY
Shots	18						9
Saves	5						6
Fouls	10						10
Offsides	4						2
Corners	3						7

 

 

J.T. Noone (Temple / Harrisburg, PA) scored a goal and assisted on Carmichael’s first goal, while William Swetra assisted on the game-winning to give him a team-high five assists on the season.

Carmichael has scored in three straight games, and has six goals during that time. The Lumberton, NJ native has a team-high nine goals in 13 league matches and 11 goals in all competitions.

The Barons continue to try to fight for the third and final playoff spot in the Northeast Division. With the win, the club’s record improves to 8-3-2, putting them five points ahead of the fourth place Brooklyn Knights. The Knights have played one less game that the Barons and the two clubs will meet at the historic Metropolitan Oval next Wednesday, July 15.

The scoring began 15 minutes into the match when Ocean City earned a corner kick. William Swetra (James Madison / Egg Harbor, NJ) took the kick and drove it into the box where one of the Rangers defenders put a hand on it to force the referee to point to the spot. There, Noone stepped up and buried the penalty kick to make it 1-0. For Noone, it was his third goal of the season and fifth in all competitions.

"Once we scored, we started collecting passes together," said Barons midfielder Leon Brown (Wheeling Jesuit / Sicklerville, NJ). "However, the goal we allowed [minutes later] was just a lapse in concentration."

Five minutes later, Rangers midfielder Rafael Martinez sent a ball in from the left wing to Marko Ciklic, who was open for a shot because no Barons defender stepped up to pressure him. He took the shot from the top of the box and the ball managed to trickle in through traffic in front of the net to tie the score at 1-1. 

In the 32nd minute, Carmichael would extend his goalscoring streak to three games. Noone dribbled through a couple of defenders in midfield and chipped the ball ahead for Carmichael put the ball past New Jersey goalkeeper John Weber to regain the lead for the visitors.

 

 

PDL NORTHEAST DIVISION	Record	Pts
Long Island Rough Riders	10-2-1	31
Ottawa Fury	9-0-4	31
OCEAN CITY BARONS	8-3-2	26
Brooklyn Knights	6-3-3	21
(Top 3 qualify for playoffs)
Barons’ remaining schedule
7/11 home vs. New Hampshire Phantoms (2-8-2) 7/15 at Brooklyn Knights (6-3-3) 7/19 - home vs. New Jersey Rangers (2-10-2)

However, the Barons were unable to hold on to the lead before the halftime break. New Jersey found room for a shot at the top of the box again, this time Jordan Bar (Fairfield / Centerville, MA) made a reaction save, but was unable to hang on. The ball deflected up in the air and Andrew Fraser was waiting on the doorstep to head the ball into the back of the net.

After halftime, the Barons offense began building from the back and produced the game-winning goal. Second half sub Jamal Neptune (Hofstra / East Windsor, NJ), played a ball up the right wing for Swetra, who then sent a lofted ball ahead for Carmichael. The ball got in behind the defense, and forced the Rangers goalkeeper to come off his line. Carmichael beat him to the ball and chipped it over the helpless netminder’s head and into the back of the net for his second goal of the night.

With that tally, Carmichael has scored six goals in the last three league games for Ocean City. For Swetra, it was his fifth assist of the season, which puts him in a tie for third in the PDL’s league leaders.
 
The remainder of the match, the Barons were able to keep possession and limit New Jersey’s chances. This was aided by fresh legs off the bench, including 18-year old Austin Johnson (LaSalle / Avalon, NJ) who came on in the 80th minute to make his PDL debut.

Jordan Bar made five saves on the night for the Barons to improve his personal record to 3-0-1.
 
"They were definitely up for the game more than us," said Brown. " They were coming off a close game against [undefeated] Ottawa and we came out a little flat."

The Barons improve their record against New Jersey to 4-0-0, with 16 goals scored and three allowed.

The Barons push for the playoffs continues on Saturday July 11 when they welcome the New Hampshire Phantoms (2-8-2) to Carey Stadium at 7 p.m.