Chicagoland Soccer

Porters struggle on offense, settle for a draw with Spartans

By Curt Herron

Lockport Township took a major step forward this week but still didn't get a whole lot to show for its efforts.

Despite taking significant strides forward in shoring up their defense, the Porters went 0-1-2 during the week.

The frustration was evident on Saturday when LTHS settled for a 1-1 draw in a nonconference match at Romeoville.

Goals weren't a huge problem for much of the first three weeks, with the team collecting eight in their first six matches.

However, coach Chris Beal's squad yielded 17 scores during that same stretch, including eight against Oswego East.

But while LTHS allowed only one goal apiece during each of its three matches this week, it only managed one score.

The Porters dropped a hard-fought 1-0 overtime decision at Carl Sandburg in their SouthWest Suburban Blue Conference opener.

Then they gave up a score on a penalty kick in a 1-0 loss at Homewood-Flossmoor before getting a goal against the Spartans.

Romeoville moved in front late in the first half and the Porters (1-6-2) got the equalizer about 15 minutes after the break.

Although it had plenty of chances to snap what is now an eight-match winless streak, LTHS was unable to find the net again.

Lockport has been missing players that it was counting on due to both injuries and disciplinary reasons thus far this season.

"We shored some things up in the back and changed our system a little bit but we have to create more chances," Beal said.

"But we still have five or six players out for this or that and it's hurting us. We're counting on people who are banged up.

"With the changes we made, we're creating fewer chances. We need to capitalize on the three, four or five good ones we get.

"You can play this or you can play that but if you can't put the ball into the back of the net, then you can't win games."

The Porters used a late goal to win their opener over Lincoln-Way West and overcame a 4-1 deficit to tie Plainfield North.

But there were no late heroics against their former District 205 rivals, who held off several threats in the final minutes.

With just over 11 minutes left, Louis Halper sent in a free kick that Wojtek Iwan headed toward keeper Luis Castillo.

About three minutes after that, Louis Piccione got off a short attempt but it was deflected away by the Spartan goalie.

After Porter keeper Sebastian Matoniak stopped a close-range try with over five minutes left, LTHS had one last chance.

In the final half minute, Halper directed a free kick toward the net but Luke Harniak's header went wide of the mark.

The Porters evened things in the 55th minute when Kristian Cockburn sent a pass to Robert Zieba, who hit a short shot.

Not long after that, Zieba was denied on a header and then Halper sent in a free kick that was grabbed by Castillo.

Most of the opening half drama happened within the final 10 minutes as Romeoville scored and LTHS nearly did the same.

With about eight minutes left, Cockburn sent a corner kick toward the net and Iwan's try was cleared by a defender.

Piccione was the recipient of a free kick two minutes later but his attempt came up empty after his liner was stopped.

In the 36th minute, the Spartans capitalized on a defensive breakdown and took the lead on a goal from Danny Arriola.

"It's just harder right now," Beal said. "It's either a lack of confidence or a lack of composure but we aren't scoring.

"Sandburg's goal was a great strike in overtime, H-F's goal was a penalty kick and today's goal was an individual error.

"I thought that this was a game that we should have won, but that's kind of been the story of our season a little bit."