WESTPORT — It took just 57 seconds for Staples to score against Darien, Monday afternoon at Wakeman Field.

Josh Whitaker drew a hard foul in the box. Will Murray laced the penalty kick home. It looked like a rout was on.

It wasn’t.

Sometimes in soccer, it’s dangerous to score so early. It can lead if not to complacency, to a temporary lack of focus — perhaps the case as Darien rallied twice to edge Staples, 3-2.

The Blue Wave took advantage of the early deficit. Three and a half minutes later — after monopolizing possession — Parker Skelton slotted in a free kick that was played on the ground around the outside of the defensive wall.

But the Wreckers went back to work. Six minutes after that equalizer, Cormac Mulvey dropped a free kick from 40 yards out into the penalty area. Dylan Shackelford — moving forward on the set piece — raced through, finishing nicely with one clean touch.

Darien — showing why they were 3-0-1 — countered quickly, forcing keeper Christian Rinaldi into two tough saves. The Wreckers began asserting themselves, led by defenders Mulvey, Shackelford and Jack Schwartz. 

At the other end of the field, Jonny Costello was digging balls out on the right.

Still, the visitors persisted. Three minutes before halftime, dangerous striker Jack Flynn kept the ball well under pressure, then hammered a shot into the far corner, upper 90.

The second half opened where the first 40 ended, with end-to-end action. Rinaldi flew wide to save on Flynn.

Alex Kuster — who came on strong defensively — split the Wave defense.

Whitaker found Costello, but he was offside. The attacker had a couple of other good looks, which just missed.

Meanwhile, Staples was bedeviled by three more offside calls.

With 13 minutes to play, Darien split the defense. Once again it was Flynn who finished, for a 3-2 lead.

Back came the Wreckers. Murray split the defense, and earned a corner kick. Then came a second corner. The hosts were knocking on the door.

In the 73rd minute, Schwartz, Gabe Duque, Emmett Nivaud and Murray worked a nice series. Duque was in again a minute later; his shot was saved.

The back-and-forth play continued until — literally — the final buzzer. It sounded with the Wreckers on the attack, and the ball bouncing in Darien’s penalty area inches from the goal.

The bitter loss dropped the Wreckers to 2-2-0. Their difficult early season schedule continues, with a match at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Greenwich. The Cardinals are 4-0-0.

(Game schedules are subject to change; click for the latest updates.)