Wed June 8, 2016 League 1 Ontario--Durham United FA vs Oakville Blue Devils (from League 1 Ontario website)

Cullen Brace Leads Durham To 4-1 Final Over Oakville Blue Devils
06/09/2016, 11:30am EDT
By League1 Ontario staff

Durham returned to winning ways courtesy of an early Bruce Cullen (9', 13') 
brace against Oakville Blue Devils, as Durham kick-started matchweek seven 
with a 4-1 win over their cross-town foes.

"We were especially focused on closing their forwards, they tend to look 
for them regularly," said Sanford Carabin, head coach of Durham.  

"I think the boys did a good job of frustrating them and crowding them out, 
and the early goals really helped to settle the team. From there 
we just tried to push on." 

Featuring two experienced sides with plenty of quality, Durham and 
Oakville's matchup was highly anticipated. Durham has been one of the 
in-form 2016 teams, while Blue Devils have been working hard to get back 
to the form that made them 2015 League1 Ontario champs.

The match started off with plenty of excitement, as Durham left-back 
Cullen twice demonstrated his blistering pace and knack for the finish, 
finishing a cross from Stephen Lamanna and a rebound inside 
fifteen minutes. 

Oakville responded immediately, with captain Taylor McNamara (16') 
finishing an exquisite cross from Anthony Doran. 

But Durham were not done yet, with Kashiff De Jonge turning provider 
for Joseph Roccasalva, putting a cut-back directly into his path 
for the one-touch finish. 

"We didn't plan to get the early goals, but it was nice to get it," 
said Carabin.

"The biggest thing we spoke about with the players was to learn 
from last game. We had a good attacking sense last game but switched 
off defensively many times."

"Our focus in training this week was staying very compact, improving 
our communication in defence, and making sure whenever we lose 
the ball we are transitioning to defence quickly and not giving 
their players time on the ball."

Oakville would rally late in the match, constantly attempting to put 
the Durham defenders under pressure in their zone, 
but Le Rohne Young (56') would squash any lingering hopes of getting 
back in the match after finishing a low cross from Lamanna. 

"Durham got us on pace, they finished their chances well, they passed 
the ball well, they worked harder than us and fully deserved the 
points," said Oakville head coach, Duncan Wilde. 

"We did not prepare very well," he added. "We had a lot of traffic 
problems so weren't ready."

"We had five or six players missing before the game and so we had 
to change the whole plan, and it disrupted our prep and it showed. 
We were two nil down before we knew what was going on, overplaying 
in our own third, not being responsible for the ball and at this 
level you get punished for that."

"We're not at the point we were at last season, we are nowhere close 
to that, and we have a lot of work to do," he concluded. 

"But we have a fantastic U21 program and we're going to start offering 
opportunities for those boys to play into League1. It's up to us now 
to go back, respond, and put it right." 

With the result, Durham holds third place in the eastern division 
on 13 points, setting the stage for a massive game on June 12 (7 p.m.) 
at Vaughan Grove against division leaders, Woodbridge Strikers. 

Oakville Blue Devils head home to Sheridan College on June 12 (3 p.m.) 
to meet Pro Stars FC. The Devils are currently tied for fifth 
in the west division with North Mississauga S.C. on five points. 

back to 2016 League 1 Ontario Men's index

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