A 60ยบ raw and rainy Friday night didn’t keep the heat off the pitch at Cerrone Park in Stoneham. Problem was, it was Stoneham brought the heat. At times it was more like a rugby match as BMachine were outsized and were taking some hard, and at times questionable, hits from Stoneham players. Fouls were dolled out evenly by BMachine parent Maure Aronson who was called on at the last minute to ref the game as the scheduled ref never showed up.
Postgame Zach – “Uh, What just happend?”
BMachine’s unwillingness to pass the ball in favor of footwork cost them dearly. Stoneham defenders were attacking relentlessly as soon as the ball reached a BMachine player. The rain was no small factor. Countless misfires due to the wet conditions and Stoneham’s pressure resulted in many missed opportunities and only a couple legitimate shots on goal.
Still, there were some positives to note. Noah Adamson was a welcome site on defense after his absence in recent games. BMachine tenacity was typified by RJ Guardia, Jonathan Sands and Elliot Rippe as they would not let up the effort until the very end. This energy spread to the rest of the team and propelled them during stretches when things were going so wrong that no one was talking on the pitch. These boys are growing however. I was proud to see that the Blue Machine fought to the very end of the game with minimal quibbling and still had smiles to share afterwards. It was a hard fought game. In the end, on this day, Stoneham was just a better team. BMachine loses 4 – 0.
Postgame Interview with Jamie Keegan and Jesse Griffin
