Greyson Downes and Adrian Rodriguez celebrate a Rodriguez goal – Photo Paolo caniato
Greyson Downes, Lucas Alarcon, Nico Reyna - Photo Paolo Caniato
Greyson Downes, Lucas Alarcon, Nico Reyna – Photo Paolo Caniato

TRUMBULL–Staples scored twice at Trumbull yesterday.

The Eagles were shut out.

So the Wreckers won 2-0, right?

Well, yes.

But it took a call to FCIAC commissioner Dave Schultz to confirm that the “abandoned match” — the term the officials used when they left the field and headed for their cars, after a semi-bench clearing brawl with 14 minutes remaining — to clarify that the victory stands.

Alex Saleeb - Photo Paolo Caniato
Alex Saleeb – Photo Paolo Caniato

The score of an abandoned game — for this reason (never before seen in Staples’ 68-year history), lightning, or any other one — counts, so long as one 40-minute half has been played.

The match promised to be close. Both squads were undefeated. Trumbull had surrendered one goal. The Wreckers were unscored upon.

The Eagles were clearly Staples’ toughest foe so far, in what is now the first quarter of the regular season. They have team and individual speed, defend tenaciously, and a strong winning tradition. They’ve got solid team chemistry, and use the width of the field well.

In other words, they are in many ways like the Wreckers.

Junior Sebi Carter replaced Greyson Downes — who was taking an ACT test — in the starting lineup. He showed well, linking with Adrian Rodriguez, Nico Reyna and Noah Rossoni on the attack.

It took Trumbull just 30 seconds to slip through. The shot was centimeters wide.

But seven minutes later, the visitors were more accurate. Reyna sent Rodriguez through. The Wesleyan University commit finished with poise.

Midway through the half, defender Peter Nelson broke up a dangerous threat. A minute later, keeper Zach Delman made a tough save in traffic. Two minutes after, he saved again, on his line. It was the most action the goalie has seen all year.

In the 32nd minute, Rodriguez was stuffed by the keeper. A minute after, Rossoni was also stopped.

Before the first half ended, the officials had showed three yellow cards: one to Trumbull, two to Staples.

Lucas Alarcon at Trumbull - Photo Jayme Martino
Lucas Alarcon – Photo Jayme Martino

The second half began with center back Thomas Pretty decisively stopping an attack. At the other end, Alex Saleeb’s attempt flew wide.

In the 50th minute, Gus Reyna initiated a counterattack. Dutch Schlegelmilch, moving forward well, tried to shoot. Instead he found Rodriguez, who calmly slotted the ball low into the corner, for his second strike of the day.

Trumbull was fighting back — and that’s when the fight broke out.

An Eagle player went down. He kicked the ball at a Staples player. Two Wreckers came over; one shoved the Trumbull opponent. A few more shoves were traded. Players on the field, and from the bench — some, but not all — rushed over. Cooler heads tried to remove teammates from the action.

Thirty seconds later, it was over. But instead of assessing the situation, issuing yellow and/or red cards, the referees walked away.

Literally.

“Abandoned match,” they told the scorer’s table. And — without a word to either coach or any captain — they strolled across the field.

With no clear outcome — that came later, from the league commissioner — the two teams milled about. Players who knew each other from club soccer chatted and hugged.

It was not “the beautiful game”‘s most beautiful game. But it was the fourth victory in as many tries for Staples.

Next up: Danbury on Wednesday. Kickoff is 6 p.m., at the Hatters’ field.