DEA Bedford Masters 2

DEA Masters travelled to Westford, home of a 5-1 thumping last year, and turned the tables in impressive fashion with a 3-0 thrashing on the Grey Goats.

Still getting used to some new faces, and with a few key cogs missing, DEA played a few players out of position but they performed admirably in recording DEA's first victory of the year.

Westford got the first opportunity when a throw-in was received about 30 yards from goal.  The Westford player flipped it up, and volleyed a hard drive at goal.  DEA keeper Doug Henion leaped to parry it over the bar to give DEA confidence boost in the early going.  Henion was a rock all game, solidly filling the cage and swallowing anything in his area.

The central defensive duo of Rob Easton and Joe Masci were solid as well.  Both teamed to thwart any offensive forays into the DEA area.  Masci pushed up frequently to get into the play.  The wing defenders were equally solid, with John Demeritt, Woody Harper, and Mike Robichaud (who also played in the midfield) tracking well and forcing the action to the perimeter.

In a contrast to last week, DEA held possession much better and were patient with their opportunities.  They broke through in the last ten minutes of the half.  After Robichaud's great defensive stand, he drove a long pass that was brought down by Steve Bicknell, who turned into space and filtered a short pass to Scott Vaughn, camped out 25 yards from goal.  With the keeper sneaking off his line, Vaughn rifled a drive that as soon as it left his foot you knew it was trouble.  The keeper leaped, but only got air as it just tucked under the bar to give DEA a 1-0 lead.

The action to that point had been equal, but after the goal  DEA took to dominating the rest of the match.

After the halftime whistle, they continued to send swarms of attackers down the wings.  The Brothers Guild, John and Jeff, were swarming on the outside.  DEA were rotating Jim McCall, Chris Cloutier, Scott Sharby, and Bicknell in the middle.  Jim Walker had a tremendous second half playing forward.  His speed on was creating problems in Westford's zone.  They were struggling with a plan to contain him.

DEA made it 2-0, and broke Westford's back in the process.  McCall sent a long pass into the zone and Sharby was running onto it.  When Westford's sweeper got caught, he realized that he was out of position and handled the pass to keep Sharby from a clean break.  The ref awarded a yellow card, and when Westford was slow to regroup Bicknell noticed the keeper was way off his line and slow to get back.  Bicknell launched a 40-yard bomb that had the keeper scrambling to get back into the goal.  He didn't, and Bicknell's shot was all webbing and DEA had their insurance.

Ten minutes later, another impressive DEA goal turned this one into a rout.  Again, it was started with a defensive stand.  Cloutier stepped in front of a clearing pass and fed Walker on the wing.  He crossed to the back post, where Sharby volleyed it back into the area.  McCall was waiting, and headed it back across the goal for a 3-0 advantage.

DEA salted away the clock to finish it out.  An all-around impressive display from goalkeeping to the forwards saw DEA launch themselves back into the title race.

DEA gos to Groton next week.  Look for updates in your e-mail this week.