USL2: Oly Town FC settles for draw vs Lane United after dramatic finish

Somehow, this feels worse than that 5-0 loss earlier this week.

In one of the maddest endings in this match week’s USL2, Oly Town FC split the points with Lane United FC at home, 2-2, after heroics from Oly Town’s goalkeeper deep in stoppage time was then equalized at virtually the last kick of the game at the South Sound Stadium last June 11, Sunday afternoon.

The match was a snoozer and could have ended at 1-1 near the final minutes of normal time, but the crowd of around 270 people in a windy South Sound was just in for a bizarre end to this match.

Approaching the 87^th-minute mark, a clash of heads happened between veteran Artesian Jason Fairhurst and a LUFC defender after contesting a long ball from the goalkeeper Charlie Lanphier. This led Artesians Coach Liviu Bird to sub in backup goalkeeper Dante Perez to play as striker since all of their substitutes were already used in the match.

And that decision may have struck gold for the Artesians. Four minutes after the resumption of play, Chris Peretti grazed the left flank and delivered a low cross for the goalkeeper-turned-striker Perez to sidefoot it into the back of the net in one of the most dramatic Oly Town finishes this season.

Super sub Dante Perez (in the middle) celebrates what could have been the winning goal for Oly Town against Lane United.

With the referee suspiciously still not blowing the final whistle after a long amount of added time, all Oly Town had to do was hold on to defend for a crucial three points. Three attempts from the visitors later, LUFC substitute Owen Nelson broke Artesian hearts and delivered a low shot past Lanphier at around 90+9’ that cancelled Perez’s heroics and stole the two points from Oly Town.

The draw added a point for each team that both needed to stay in the hunt for the coveted second seed, with Oly Town just above Lane United by three points but with one game in hand. Artesians now hold a record of three wins, one draw, and two defeats, just enough for 10 points.

Lane United really offered good opposition for Oly Town in the quest for playoff qualification in the Northwest, with an evenly matched showdown in the midfield puzzling the hosts while both teams capitalized on the opponent’s mistakes but just couldn’t do much on the final third.

Seconds before disaster as Owen Wilson steals the draw for LUFC just before the final whistle.

Lane United drew first blood in the opening half after Deryk Jones Jr. fell down the Oly Town penalty box after a rash challenge from Teagan Eldridge, resulting in a penalty decision. Wade Muttitt took the penalty kick and was saved on the left of Lanphier before it rebounded back to Muttitt to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

It was not long after Oly Town found an equalizer after relentless attempts to attack, with the response coming from a header of Keegan Yorke receiving from a Federico Russo set piece as his first goal ever for the Artesians made it 1-1 before halftime.

After a quiet start in the second period, Oly Town smelled blood and found the sense of urgency to find the winner, as they tried to shift gears and pounce on the attack, but the Reds’ defense were just unwilling to bow down, with a big chance coming from the 77^th minute from forward Chris Peretti just saved by the opposite goalkeeper.

Charlie Lanphier saves the penalty from Wayne Muttitt before the ball popped right back to the shooter for a tap-in.

But all these did not prepare us for that would ensue in the final minutes of this match.

The lads of Oly Town FC will have a 12-day break from action before heading, again, to Ballard on June 23^rd for the second time this year and a third meeting against their in-state rival. Oly Town has given up 9 goals in two matches to Ballard and look to even the scales after a mid-year break.