Hanover Tops Plymouth 5-0; Now 4-0-1

The Marauders used all 25 healthy players on the roster to beat a young Plymouth team 5-0 Tuesday afternoon on the sun-splashed Merriman-Branch turf. Every one of the 23 field players played for at least 10 minutes in each half, and despite the potential that this might have resulted in disjointed play, Hanover cruised smoothly, outshooting the visitors 24-2 and showing none of the difficulty finishing that had characterized the three previous matches.

Ben Harris got things off on the right foot in the ninth minute of play, taking a well-made pass that Nate Hanna curled over the Plymouth back line and cruising in on goal unmolested, slotting the ball past Bobcat goalkeeper Matt Abear for a 1-0 lead. Five minutes later, Joe Carey scored his first regular-season goal of the campaign, taking a deft pass from Eric Jayne deep in the box and ringing a shot off the left post to double the advantage. The Marauder lead became an unsurmountable 3-0 at the twenty-minute mark when Sam Farnham's corner kick was bobbled by Abear and Gunar Shaw was in the right place to last the rebound into the back of the net for his second goal of the year.

Hanover's defense was airtight, limiting Plymouth to one tepid shot on Sam Gest. When Shaw, Remillard, Hanna and Barth departed to give way to Chris Tecca, Robin Smith, Charlie Umland and Connor Bentivoglio, the level of defensive play remained similarly high.

The Marauders had several more chances to score in the half, notably when a breakaway by Jonathan Fenton got away from him just enough for Abear to scoot off his line and collect it, and again when Isaiah Fariel just missed connecting on a good opportunity.

The second half was a carbon copy of the first, featuring seamless play despite the steady parade of substitutes off the bench. Isaiah Fariel opened his account for the season with seven minutes gone, collecting the rebound of a testing shot by Eric Jayne and stuffing it past the luckless Abear from close range. Jayne then tallied his fifth goal in five games, heading home a long cross by Joe Carey from the right corner. Forrest Pratt and Hayden Pressey-Murray were effective all day on the flanks, hitting several excellent crosses that deserved finishing.

As was the case in the first half, several subs came close to getting on the board. Both Pedro Celaya and Brendan Barth authored shots that didn't miss the mark by much, and Fenton came close again from short range, having taken one touch too many on a slick pass from Barth. Chris Tecca was particularly effective on defense, choosing the right moments to step and challenge successfully for the ball, and heading with authority. Ross Johnston was a calm and effective presence at center midfield, and Charlie Umland made a series of good defensive plays in his own end. Stefan Dyroff wasn't challenged in goal, but showed good timing getting off his line on several through balls.

With their record now 4-0-1, the Marauders will devote the next week preparing for their biggest challenge yet this season, a road game to Lebanon six days hence. The Raiders will in all likelihood enter the game with a 6-0 record and the confidence that they can end a long losing streak at Hanover's hands. With both teams likely to go far in postseason play, the match will be a good indicator as to how a potential tournament match might turn out. "We know what we have to do to get ready," commented Coach Grabill, "and we're set to put in a hard week." Stay tuned.