Sockers Win as Daley Gets Two

When the Sockers’ Steve Daley was benched for the entire game against Baltimore 10 days ago, he knew something had to give.

Sockers Coach Ron Newman had been asking Daley to concentrate more on defense from his midfield position, which was difficult for Daley to accept. After all, he had 13 goals and 16 assists in 18 games for Seattle in his only previous indoor season in 1981-82.

But defense is what Newman wanted from Daley, so it’s what he is getting . . . for the most part.

Saturday night at the Sports Arena, Daley showed there is also a little offense left in him. He doubled his season production with two goals to lead the Sockers past Pittsburgh, 6-4, in front of 9,629 fans.

“It knocks you down when you don’t get to play in a game,” Daley said. “I’ve been doing a lot of hard thinking lately. The only way to turn things in your favor is to get out there and play well. I have had a couple of near misses lately, but tonight the shots paid off.”

Daley scored the game’s first goal at 3:54 off the rebound of a Branko Segota shot. He later gave the Sockers a 5-2 lead at 5:38 of the fourth period, scoring from the right corner off a Steve Zungul pass.

Even so, Newman wants Daley to realize that defense is the major concern of his game.

“I told him to adjust his game, and he lost confidence for a while,” Newman said. “He got more determined and said he’d be back. He said he’d prove me wrong and he has. He hasn’t screamed and shouted like some players of his caliber would.”

Newman was doing plenty of shouting and screaming at referees Gino Dippolito and Colin Lindores. Among other things, Newman was livid that Pittsburgh did not get called for an illegal substitution with 10 seconds left in the third period. He was so angry that he left the gate open in front of the Sockers’ bench the remainder of the period.

But after Daley gave the Sockers a 5-2 lead, Newman vented his anger toward his players.

He was upset that the Sockers let Pittsburgh score twice in a period of 1:35, letting the Spirit close to within 5-4 with 5:25 to play.

Finally, the Sockers put the game away on a Jean Willrich goal off Zungul’s second assist with 48 seconds to play. Willrich shot the ball past defender John O’Hara, who was wearing the goalie’s jersey after goalkeeper Peter Mowlik was pulled in favor of an extra attacker with 1:17 to play.

The Sockers, who customarily fall behind early, began the night in unusual fashion. They led after the first period, 2-0, on goals by Daley and Hugo Perez. Segota assisted on both goals.

Paul Child of Pittsburgh cut the score to 2-1 at 3:26 of the second period. Segota scored with an assist from goalkeeper Jim Gorsek at 3:52, and defender Kevin Crow stole a pass then scored at 11:17.

Ian Sybis of Pittsburgh made it a 4-2 game with the third period’s only goal at 7:49. Daley gave the Sockers a three-goal lead that was eventually cut to one.

“We put tremendous pressure on them in the first half and made it very difficult for them,” Newman said. “Everything I wanted to have happen happened in the first half. In the second half, we came out and eased off. It was too close for comfort. But the first half was classic stuff.”

Segota, who is filling in at forward while Ade Coker is sidelined, has been making significant contributions.

He had two goals and two assists Thursday as the Sockers beat Cleveland, 8-5. Saturday, he had one goal and two assists the first half before sitting out the final 30 minutes with a slightly pulled hamstring.

Normally, Segota is a midfielder. Newman wants him to play forward until Coker returns in the next couple of weeks from an infection of an appendectomy performed on Jan. 6.

“It’s easier to play forward,” Segota said. “If I get one-on-one, there are only a few players in the league who can stop me. If you give me a couple of one-on-ones, I’m sure to get a goal.”

When Coker comes back, Segota won’t hesitate in moving back to midfield, where the goals don’t come as often.

“Ade is a good player, and he’ll want to play up front,” Segota said. “He doesn’t have too much experience at midfield.”

The Sockers, 17-6, have won three straight and have the best record in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Pittsburgh is 9-13.

Socker Notes

Paulo Moura of the Sockers missed his third straight game with a bruised knee. He is hopeful of playing when the Sockers begin a three-game trip Wednesday night against the Cosmos in East Rutherford, N.J. . . . Pittsburgh was playing without Stan Terlecki, its all-time leading scorer. Terlecki was sent home because of differences he has had with Coach John Kowalski. “Stan is a great individual player with tremendous skills,” General Manager Chris Wright said. “However, he has shown an inability to work within the framework of what essentially is last year’s team. Terlecki’s production has been offset by the goals his line has allowed.”