THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 6, 1996 TAG: 9605060151
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
The Long Island Rough Riders lived up to their name Sunday afternoon in a physical matchup against the Hampton Roads Mariners.
Long Island received two red cards (player ejected) and five yellow cards (warnings). The Mariners took advantage of the Rough Riders frustration and later ejections to post a 5-1 Select League victory at First Colonial.
A field of new Mariners sparked the scoring onslaught. The Mariners, who fell 1-0 to Delaware Saturday night, have added five players including U.S. Under-23 National Team member Jesse Marsch. Marsch assisted Paul Cann's initial shot, then added two more goals for an early 3-0 Mariners' lead. The early goals combined with the Rough Riders' frustration over Saturday night's loss to begin the physical clash.
The Rough Riders were incensed following a 3-2 overtime loss to Richmond on a penalty kick Saturday night. Long Island protested the penalty-kick call of referee Chip Boatwright. Boatwright was a linesman Sunday afternoon.
``You prepare yourself for each game individually, it is a new day,'' Long Island coach Alfonso Mondelo said. ``You have a chance to shake that off, but unfortunately we didn't. We let our frustration get the better of us (Sunday). I don't recognize my team here today.''
Late in the first half, the Rough Riders received back-to-back yellow cards. On the second, Rickey Blanchard bloodied Scott Lawler's nose and Lawler left the game. Rough Rider Dahir Mohammed crashed into Wayne Pratt, then head-butted a Mariner and was ejected.
Pratt received a yellow card at 42:36 and Paul Riley scored on the ensuing penalty kick.
In the second half, Mariner Tony Velkov tangled with a midfielder in the air and both were escorted off the field with injuries. Long Island's Andrian Gaitan was assessed a red card for a foul away from the ball on the play.
Late in the second half, Mariner Danny Creech bounced a shot off Mieles for a 4-1 lead.
Pratt took the ball off a downed Mieles and scored on the open net for the final tally.
``I had difficulty enjoying the game because of the things that were going on because the referees were missing a lot off the ball,'' Mariners coach Shawn McDonald said.``The linesmen have to help with that and unfortunately a lot got missed and it got rough.
``The linesman . . . he should have taken himself off this game after they almost went after him last night.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian Pilot
Paul Cann, top, is fouled by Long Island's Jimmy Dutreuil. The
visiting Rough Riders lived up to the name - two red cards and five
yellows.
by CNB