October 3, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Monterey Bay FC News Release
SEASIDE, California – Monterey Bay F.C. (12-16-4, 40 points) were defeated 2-1 by the Tampa Bay Rowdies (17-7-7, 58 points) in the final home match of the season at Cardinale Stadium on Breast Cancer Awareness and Fan Appreciation Night. Sam Gleadle scored the lone goal for the Crisp and Kelp in the match.
Access the postgame quote sheet here
Monterey Bay F.C. earned an opportunity right out of the gates in the first minute of the match, but Chase Boone’s shot from outside the center of the box was saved. The Union looked dangerous again in the 5th minute when Simon Dawkins found Gleadle making a run into the center of the box, but Gleadle’s shot was saved by the goalkeeper. A minute later Tampa Bay Rowdies earned their first chance of the evening, but Leo Fernandes’ shot from close range missed to the right. In the 22nd minute, Boone found Gleadle making a run through the left side of the box and with the left foot, Gleadle buried the ball into the top right corner of the net to give the Crisp and Kelp the 1-0 lead.
Four minutes later, Dawkins earned a free kick for the Union just outside the box. The ball was whipped in towards Boone inside the six-yard box, but his shot was saved back into play. With the ball loose inside the six, Hugh Roberts looked to push the ball across the line, but his shot hit the near post and bounced out. In the 41st minute, Dawkins turned the Rowdies over in the Union’s half of the pitch. His pass to Boone led him into the box for a one-on-one opportunity against the goalkeeper, but his shot was saved, and the sides entered the break with the hosts out in front.
In the 49th minute, Tampa Bay’s Nicky Law scored with a right-footed shot that hit off the crossbar and across the line to level the match at one apiece. Then in the 67th minute, Laurence Wyke stole the lead for the Rowdies with a header from close range. Gleadle then earned the Union a free kick in the 81st minute of the match. James Murphy launched the ball into the box, but it was caught by the goalkeeper. Murphy looped a ball into the box on another free kick for Monterey Bay F.C. in the 89th minute, but a collision with the goalkeeper blew the play dead. In the seventh minute of added time, Fernandes slid dangerously into Boone from behind and was shown a straight red, leaving Tampa Bay with 10 men for the final few seconds. Despite the Crisp and Kelp’s best effort to…