In the nearly three decades that USL League Two has been active no club has ever had their identity tied to a single venue quite like the Ocean City Nor’easters. On Sunday night, the team became the first club in league history to win 100 games at a single venue as they defeated Real Central New Jersey, 5-2.

Pablo Marques’ hat-trick led the team to its fourth home win of the year. He is the first player this year to score a hat trick and the 14th different player in the team's USL-2 history to score three goals in a single game.

“We put together a great performance tonight,” head coach Kevin Nuss said after the game. “In the previous matches we have played very well but failed to finish our chances early. Tonight, Pablo was sharp in front of goal and that was the difference.”

With the win, the Nor'easters remain undefeated (7-0-1) and remain in first place in the Mid-Atlantic Division. Second place West Chester United SC (16 pts) is two full games back behind the surging storm (22 pts). This is also the seventh straight win for Ocean City, which is the longest active win streak in all of USL League Two.

The Nor’easters got rolling early in the 6th minute when Marques, fresh off winning the Lea Plarski Award from the NJCAA last week, headed in the game’s first goal. Benjamin Cam Orellana’s long corner kick glided over a red sea of defenders before finding the jumping University of Tampa player. As it stands, this is the fastest goal scored by OCN this season.

Fifteen minutes later, the Nor’easters struck again from the field of play to double the lead. After receiving a long pass from his own end, Daniel Diaz-Bonilla played up the middle of the field before sending a long pass to a charging Marco Torino. Under pressure from a defender and with the RCNJ goalkeeper advancing, the forward struck the ball low towards the opposite side of the net.

In the last meeting between Ocean City and Central, Nor'easters coach Nuss felt that his players “dropped the ball” on account of their lack of fitness to start the season. The final five minutes of the first half solidified how much time has passed since that game in Mid-May.

Two goals in a five minute span gave the Nor’easters a 4-0 lead heading into the break. Benjamin Cam Orellana once again assisted Marques, this time in the 42nd minute. Orellana fed the Brazilian a pass on the left side, giving him the chance to play around two defenders before shooting a low shot that bounced off the right post and into the goal.

The visitors nearly took advantage of a defensive lapse before halftime to get on the board. A backpass to goalkeeper Felix Schafer was kicked upfield and miss-played by Nick Pariano, giving RCNJ a chance to counter. An excellent offensive drive including five passes ended with a low show towards the right post that Schafer  dived to deflect. Central retained possession and got off another shot by Sergio Aguinaga that dinged off the crossbar.

The game quickly fell back into the home team’s hands however. RCNJ played up, allowing an OCN player to lob a pass towards Diaz-Bonilla. His jump beat the NJ defender leaving him with just the keeper to beat to score his second goal in as many games, his third of the season, in the first minute of stoppage time.

Coming out of the break, Real Central played up and got one back in the 52nd minute. After a shot was saved by a diving Schafer, RCNJ’s Conlan Paventi jumped on the rebound and jumped up to meet the ball. He gently tapped it in to make it 4-1.

In the 60th minute with the result already sealed, Marques netted his third goal despite not being the main focus of the play. An OCN free kick from 25 yards out saw Nicolas Torres’s shot on target but saved by the keeper. The rebound floated towards the left side of the field where Marco Torino gentle back headed it towards the Tampa prospect. His quick shot, right footed strike snuck between the keeper and the left post to make it 5-1.

RCNJ’s Hale Lombard scored one final consolation goal in the 90+2’ minute after a long pass found the forward in Ocean City territory. Defender Roman Holt, who just rejoined the team after getting called up by San Antonio FC to play a friendly, closed in on Lombard, who quickly shot a long volley on goal that sailed over Schafer’s head and into the back of the net.

The Nor'easters will remain at home for their next match as they welcome in their oldest rivals to Ocean City. Reading United AC will come to The Beach House on Friday, June 24. The last meeting between the two clubs ended with a 1-0 win on the road earlier this month. Tickets for that game and all remaining home games can be purchased online HERE.