Sockers Score Last 6 Goals, Rout Crunch

When the Sockers’ goal-scorers begin playing defense, the team usually begins a string of victories.

“And that usually doesn’t start until the playoff,” says Ron Newman, the Sockers’ coach.

It started early this year. In fact, it started midway through the second period of Thursday night’s game against the Cleveland Crunch and led to a 9-4 Major Indoor Soccer League victory.

The Sockers evened their record at 8-8 and moved to within 1 1/2 games of MISL West leader Dallas, which suffered a 5-1 loss at home to Baltimore Thursday night.

“It was a very strange game,” Newman said. “I put a very offensive team out there, and talking to the players before the game, we knew we could put the ball in the back of the net. We just didn’t know if we could defend enough.”

After the first quarter, it didn’t look as though the Sockers could defend at all. Cleveland led, 4-3.

But they regrouped and scored the game’s final six goals. Zoran Karic and Cacho each scored two.

Cacho started the string 2:31 into the second quarter, and 10 minutes later, Waad Hirmez scored to put the Sockers ahead for good, 5-4. It was Hirmez’s eighth goal of the year and fourth game-winner, tying him for the league lead with Chico Borja of Wichita and Billy Ronson of Baltimore.

There were no big heroes on defense, Newman said.

“We just worked a lot harder from top to bottom (of our roster) to keep their players from getting the ball,” he said. “When we do that, that’s when we look good.”

In fact, Kevin Crow, last year’s MISL defender of the year, did not get a block for his second consecutive game and is still four short of becoming only the third player in league history to reach the 600 level. But Brian Quinn, a midfielder, had three.

Branko Segota had three assists to tie Juli Veee as the Sockers’ all-time points leader with 467.

Goalie Victor Nogueira improved to 4-4, though he had a season-low seven saves.

The Sockers continue their trip Saturday night at Eastern Division leader Baltimore.