Michael Creswick collects the ball near the touchline for Stockade. (📷 StockadeFC.com)
KINGSTON, N.Y. — In the final home match of the season, Kingston Stockade FC topped Boston City FC, 5-1, in front of 646 fans at Dietz Stadium.
The win gives Stockade a record of 3-2-4 (wins-draws-losses) on the season, and moves their goal differential to a +2.
Stockade opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a goal from Michael Creswick. Creswick slotted home after an attempt from Pedro Espindola forced a save from the Boston City goalkeeper.
Stockade then went up 2-0 in the 18th minute, courtesy of a goal from Juan Parada. Josh Maley had the assist.
Parada then headed home for his second goal of the day in the 38th minute, off of a cross from Scott Zobre.
Espindola then found the back of the net himself in the 45th minute, off of another assist from Zobre.
Boston City then dug themselves a bit of a deeper hole in the 45th minute after Jackson Leite was sent off on a straight red after a hard tackle on Espindola.
Boston City got one back in the 53rd minute to make it 4-1.
Stockade continued to apply pressure the rest of the way, and converted once more in the 65th minute after Nick Shenberger put home a loose ball in the box.
After the match, Stockade head coach David Lindholm talked about the win being a fitting home send-off for the players who have put in the hard hours this season.
"I'm really pleased for the players," said Lindholm. "They got rewarded for all the hard work that they've put in throughout the year. The squad always shrinks over the course of a season like this. We're all amateur players, so some people can't keep playing. And the guys that were here tonight are the guys who have been really dedicated, really focused on the job all season, came out and trained hard every day, and they get a reward of being able to get a big win against a rival of ours. A team that we love to beat."
Lindholm also looked ahead to the last match of the season against the New York Cosmos, and how his team will approach the top team in the conference.
"I'd say that (playing the Cosmos) is a great opportunity for us as a club, and for us as players," said Lindholm. "Just as a team, you always want to play against good teams, and we have an opportunity, I think, depending on the result tonight, to be the first team that knocks them off this season. And we'll look at the results, and maybe we'll still have a shot at the playoffs when we hit them, and then we'll know what we need to do, which is get a win, and again, if we were going to make the playoffs, we'd have to beat teams of that caliber anyway, if we want to anything there, so it's a great opportunity for us."
Stockade heads to New York Cosmos on Saturday, July 7 at 7PM.
Man of the Match: Juan Parada ... "The Marist Men’s Soccer midfielder facilitated the attack for Stockade FC in a 5-1 route of Boston City. Parada scored twice in the first half and added an assist on the Stockade FC fifth goal. Parada, the workhorse in the midfield, seemingly had the ball on his foot for the entire match." -Dan Hoffay