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The Rams answer a challenge by the Hawks for a 3-2 soccer win in a physical game that ends prematurely.

By JOEL ANDERSON, Special to the Press Herald October 21, 2009

SOUTH BERWICK — On senior night, in a game without playoff ramifications, emotions boiled over.

Referees ended the game with 54 seconds left as Deering defeated Marshwood 3-2 in an SMAA boys' soccer match Tuesday night.

After the Rams took a 1-0 halftime lead on a goal by Jamiel Kidd, Marshwood's Tyler Hickey made his way to the front of the net but shot just wide right nine minutes into the second half.

Edgar Gonzalez put Deering up 2-0 when he scored on a rebound off goalie Jackson Towle in the 58th minute.

"The goalie dove on Aweys' (Aweys Mohamed) shot and it kind of came off his chest," said Gonzalez. "I saw a defender right there and I just wanted to rip it in there."

"At halftime I stressed that we needed to defend the counterattack better," Deering Coach Andy Lefebvre said. "Marshwood is really counterattack oriented.

"They are playing a lot of long balls, especially to the Wild kid (Chris Wild). He is really dangerous. He can score."

Wild cut the deficit to 2-1 seven minutes later, scoring on a pass from Troy Osborne deep into the goal area.

"It definitely got rough out there, especially once they got a goal," Lefebvre said. "They definitely picked it up. Unfortunately, it got pretty ugly."

Wild received a yellow card a minute later, and Charlie Dupee put the Rams ahead 3-1 on a direct kick from 40 yards.

Marshwood continued to pressure. Osborne received the ball in the left corner, dribbled to the front of the net and fired a shot into the lower-left corner to cut the deficit to one again.

"Tonight is just one of those things," said Lefebvre. "We are away and it's their senior night; they were really pumped up. We tried to put them away and they just wouldn't go."

After Wild re-entered the game with 1:49 left, Marshwood's corner kick with a minute left landed into a pile of players, but the ball was sent out of bounds for a Deering goal kick.

Before the kick, another Marshwood player got a yellow card and Wild received a red.

That was when the referees ended the match.

"I told (the players) at halftime that they really needed to stay composed and not to get involved in the physical play, just continue to play our style," said Lefebvre.

Marshwood Coach Martyn Young was unavailable for comment after the game.