Second-half goal knocks out Mariners By HARRY MINIUM, The Virginian-Pilot © April 28, 2002 VIRGINIA BEACH -- Talk about paying the price for victory. Toronto forward Elvis Thomas scored his first goal of the season Saturday, the game-winner for the Lynx, but was unconscious when the ball went into the net. Thomas' goal at 71:20 gave Toronto a 2-1 victory over the Hampton Roads Mariners. He wasn't around the celebrate, however. He collided with two Mariners as he lofted the kick over goalkeeper Tim Figuerido and was knocked out. Thomas, a Toronto native substituted into the game, caught up with a bounding pass at the top of the box. Figuerido came out the challenge him, while defender Ian Checcio gave chase from behind. They all converged at the top of the box. Figuerido and Thomas fell while Checcio chased the ball as it slowly rolled into the net. Thomas was on the field for eight minutes before being taken by ambulance to Virginia Beach General Hospital. Mariners coach Shawn McDonald said Thomas was conscious when he left the field. The Marlins have lost all three games this season by 2-1 margins. Toronto (1-1-1) won despite fatigue. The Lynx tied Richmond 1-1 Friday night in a physical, controversial game. Referee Saint Silva called 41 fouls, including 25 against Richmond. Richmond tied the score on a penalty kick with only seconds to play in extra time. Toronto had some anger left to burn Saturday. When the ambulance crew did not get out on the field with what the Lynx thought was appropriate speed, the Toronto bench began to heckle it, and defender Marco Reda ran out and began pushing the stretcher. Steve Butcher, obtained from Cleveland of the Major Indoor Soccer League, and Ricardo Villar, a Brazilian who was waiting for clearance from his hometown soccer association, were added to the Mariners roster and started against the Lynx. The rebuilt front line dominated the first half, but couldn't finish numerous chances. Villar broke open from three defenders, but was taken down in the box before he could get off a shot at 8:40. At 24:35, Butcher was open and drove the ball over the net. A minute later, Villar was open 10 feet in front of the net, but lofted it over the crossbar. At 36:30, Villar was open again and again kicked the ball over the goal. ``For all the pressure we put on them, we didn't get it done,'' McDonald said. ``We need to improve.'' The Mariners did manage a first-half goal, on a spectacular crossing pass from defender Gary Brooks to Sean Michael Callahan, who booted it past Lynx goalkeeper Theo Zagar at 17:52. Hampton Roads had a 1-0 advantage, its first lead of the season. But Toronto tied it on what had to be for the Mariners an agonizingly slow play to develop. Milan Kosic passed to Nikola Budalic, who found himself wide open about 35 yards in front of the net. Figuerido came out to the edge of the box to challenge him, but Budalic kicked the ball over Figuerido's head. The ball then bounced twice before Budalic steadied himself and gently lofted it into the net at 31:03. The Mariners protested that Budalic was offsides. The Mariners threatened to tie the score in the final minutes, a header by Butcher at 88:39 and a booming kick by Aaron Lujan. But both were gathered in Zagar.
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