Facing defending Tennessee state soccer runners-up Collierville is a daunting enough challenge. Face them one man short proved to be near impossible for coach Robby Midyett Wednesday night at the Panthers fell 5-0.
“Our keeper got a red card when he went to defend the goal,” Midyett said in explaining goal keeper Emanuel Barrientos’ early exit at the 15-minute mark. “At that point we were down 1-0,” he continued. “Even then we came back to tie it but the official said we were offside and wiped out the point.”
In the match’s second half, it was Bartlett’s tired team that felt wiped.
Playing a man down wore on us and out conditioning suffered, Midyett said. “We lost 5-0 but our guys showed some fight. Collierville is big, fast and strong. But if a few things swung our way it could have been different,” he added.
Bartlett 7 Craigmont 0
The Panthers responded one night later. Facing an outmanned Craigmont squad, Midyett said he used the game to work on some things, moving players into different positions.
Bartlett struck first when Chance Thomas scored on a Craigmont-assisted corner kick. Minutes later Andrew Thornton made it 2-0 when he got an assist from Isaac Johnson.
In the second half it was all Bartlett.
Spencer Smith scored on a penalty kick and Justin Raines took a pass from Joseph Henry for a 4-0 lead.
Chance Thomas took over from there.
Thomas assisted Devin Malone and after Ebrahim Allouzi assisted Thomas to make it 6-0, Malone paid him back with an assist and Thomas’s second goal after intermission.
“We possessed the ball beautifully,” Midyett said. “We passed it around – it was really pretty soccer.”
Bartlett will host Bolton Thursday and travel to Jackson for a weekend match Saturday.
