By Michael Letendre
BURLINGTON – It’s never an easy match when battling against the Lewis Mills boys soccer program in Burlington.
And the Spartans were sharp against the squad from Bristol Eastern on Friday, even as the locals attempted to make a match out of it.
Mills took control early and went on to defeat the Lancers by a 4-1 final in a late afternoon contest from the Nassahegan Field at the recreational complex in Burlington.
The Spartans (2-0) continued their undefeated streak while the Kingstreeters (1-1) lost for the first time this year.
Mills grabbed the lead nearly right off the bat and never relented.
Alex Begert knocked home a Mills’ corner kick just three minutes into
the match, making it a 1-0 game.
But going into the second twenty of the first half, it was still just a one-goal match before Burlington added two scores in a matter of 2:21.
With 10:59 remaining in the first period, Aleksander Swider scored on a breakaway for the second goal of the game and just over two minutes later – with 8:38 to play before the break – he scored again after working a quick 1-2 pass with Rob Rubbo.
And at intermission, Burlington’s squad led 3-0.
“Mills’ quick feet and sharp passing dominated us in the first half,” said Eastern coach Bill Sweet. ”We adjusted in the second half and were much better connecting passes.”
The Lancers trimmed the deficit back to two midway through the second stanza with a little slick scoring.
With 28:03 to play, Eastern’s Eddie Ansah collected a Lucas Tylicki cross into an area that Mills failed to clear – scoring Eastern’s lone goal to make it 3-1.
Minutes later, the Lancers just missed out on a second score as Rocco Barbino got free on the left, but Mills’ goalie Merek Nardi just got a hand on Barbino’s shot to stop it.
Rubbo closed out the scoring with 16:52 remaining on an unassisted goal to make it 4-1.
Marek made four saves for the home team while the Eastern’s Peyton Cummings nabbed a season-high eight.
Ben Foley and Sebby Wroblewski kicked in assists for the undefeated program.
Eastern is back home on Monday (3:45 p.m.) in a CCC confrontation against Wethersfield while playing a make-up game at Plainville on Wednesday afternoon.
Match time is 3:45 p.m. from Tinty Stadium in Plainville.
Bristol Eastern Boys Soccer – CCC South Engagement
LEWIS MILLS 4, BRISTOL EASTERN 1
from Nassahegan Field, Burlington
Scoring 1 2 – F
Bristol Eastern (1-1) 0 1 – 1
Lewis Mills (2-0) 3 1 – 4
Individual Scoring – First Half
– Alex Begert (Lewis Mills)
– Aleksander Swider (Lewis Mills)
– Swider (Lewis Mills)
Individual Scoring – Second Half
– Eddie Ansah (Bristol Eastern)
– Rob Rubbo (Lewis Mills)
Saves: Peyton Cummings (Bristol Eastern), 8; Merek Nardi (Lewis Mills), 4.
Records: Lewis Mills 2-0 overall; Bristol Eastern 1-1.
