When the name “Fairfield” comes up in the athletic community
at Brown University, most will remember the dying minutes of a playoff match
from 2011, where, in front thousands of uneasy fans, the Bears produced an
astounding 3 goals in 6 minutes for one of the greatest comebacks in BMS history.
But when the Stags arrived at Stevenson on a rainy Tuesday
night to face the Bears once more, the mood was just a bit different. For one,
the rain had driven away all but the die hards (shout out to the fearless, and
umbrella-less Mcnamara clan). For another, both teams had just begun league
play, and were still licking the wounds from their Saturday battles.
But despite the weather and the small fan-base, despite the
faulty speaker system that couldn’t produce a National anthem, the game must go
on.
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The ball was kicked off beneath sheets of rain as V wasted
no time, putting both a ripper and a header on frame in the opening eight
minutes of play as the two sides adjusted their play to fit the slick turf of
Stevenson. The Stags – taking a note from Colombia’s book – contented
themselves with shots from 25-40 yards out, all of which sailed harmlessly over
the bar or were blocked decisively by Erob and Duff.
Meanwhile, the Bears began to string together some quality
combos with D.T., Dylan and Tmac creating space. Two of these ended in
extremely questionable non-PK-calls as Ben was crushed on a challenge in the
box, and Tmac’s juggle over a defender at the corner of the 18’ appeared to
brush the Stag’s fingers. But the ref – his vision no doubt clouded by the rain
– gave neither.
As the half came to a close, the Bears took control in possession,
with dynamic through the midfield, and several dangerous balls in from Gavey
and Dylan on the flanks. Gavey himself took a pair of shots, forcing a fine
save from the Stag keeper from a cross/shot and putting one just over the bar
in the final minutes of the half.
---
Perhaps it was the dry socks the boys strapped on at
halftime, or perhaps the Stags decided to take a siesta, but whatever
it was, the Bears came out firing on all cylinders. Dylan “best five wingers of all time”
Remick started the fire with a free kick from outside the box that skid just
past the foot of Markes. Then Gavey fired in a slew of crosses from the right,
which was followed by Tmac putting in a stunning ball to a leaping Belair who
flicked it just over. But the Bears couldn’t find the back of the net, due in
part to the diving efforts of the New Zealand Olympic national team keeper,
Michael O’Keeffe.
The tide turned briefly as Fairfield put Brown on the back
foot, including a nerve-wracking effort from the Stags inside the 12’ that was
cleared off the line in spectacular fashion by Robertson. The game
“chippified”, with fouls coming from both sides, and cards being brandished by
the overwhelmed referee, but what also became clear little by little, was that
the Stags seemed content – if not aiming – for a draw.
The keeper alone must have spent 40+ seconds on every single
goal kick, while Stevenson appeared to a be both a hunting ground (given the
amount of falling Stag bodies) and a space of resurrection as players sprang
miraculously back to life just moments later
---
Though chances came for both sides, all of them were met
with important blocks from the back line, as the ball pin-balled across the
rainy pitch. Even after a series of three corners for the Bears which included
four shots on goal, four rebounds, and a smashing on-frame effort from Lochead
that ricocheted just wide, the Bears could not break the 0-0 deadlock.
As the game wound to a close, the Bears continued to produce
chance after chance (for those interested, check out the second half stats for
the Bears…shocking)
In the 81st minute, Belair found himself on a
near break away, but sent the ball just wide. Moments later, Big Ben got stuck
in and found D.T. in space, who also sent the ball just wide of the seemingly
impenetrable goal mouth. But after a slew of corners and shots, and perhaps the
best chance of the game, when Maurey’s shot rebounded to Gavey just outside the
6’ only to slip off his soaked foot, the game went on to O.T.
But the trend of fruitless strikes refused to desist as
after 2 halves and 2 periods of O.T. the final score remained at goose-eggs.
The time-wasting Stags had gotten what they wanted at Stevenson, and a
frustrated Bears-side trudged off the field in a state of disbelief, having
fired an incredible 20 shots to the Stags 3 during the 2nd half and
O.T. periods alone.
Next up, the Bears travel to the Princeton Tiger’s lair for
their first Ivy League road match of the 2012 season. Stay tuned.
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