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Media Kit: Archived Press Releases
Shell Shockers in Thrilling Season Opener
May 6, 2006
The New Orleans Shell Shockers lost 4-2 and had two men sent off in their season opener at the Laredo Heat last night (NOTE: SATURDAY).
Despite going two goals behind they battled back to draw level, before conceding two second-half goals in a game which had three sending offs and seven yellow cards.
Afterwards Head Coach Kenny Farrell said: "I am very disappointed in the standard of refereeing and PJ's sending off cost us dearly.
"But the boys showed great character in getting back into the game and we can take positives out of what was a very tough match."
The Shockers started brightly, and from a corner in the third minute Gannon Webb went close with a spectacular bicycle kick, then two minutes later Colin Hoey burst through the center but had his shot blocked.
The Heat's first chance came after 11 minutes when Steve Su picked up a bobbling ball on the edge of the penalty area and Shockers keeper Fred Mince saved well with his legs.
Two minutes later there seemed no danger when Heat midfielder Daniel Galvan picked up the ball 25 yards from goal, but he fired an unstoppable shot into the top right-hand corner which left Mince with no chance.
The goal gave the home side confidence and they began to pass the ball quickly and accurately and increase the pressure on the Shockers' defence. Six minutes later with the back four looking for offside, Jesus Sanchez squared the ball to unmarked Heat forward Ernesto Contreras to make it 2-0.
But instead of crumbling the Shell Shockers fought back, and within three minutes drew level with two headed goals in the space of 100 seconds.
First, Austin Gunning was quickest to a ball which came back off the wall from a free kick, and then Nestor Peralta headed in from a cross swung in from the right by Henry Colona.
A frantic pace saw chances at both ends, and some crunching tackles led to a simmering atmosphere which boiled over seven minutes before half-time. An 18-man melee following some pushing and shoving over possession of the ball finished with both Shockers' captain PJ Kee and Heat defender Ryan Harrison sent off.
Just three minutes after half-time Laredo went ahead again when a throw-in from the right was flicked on and Su reacted quickest to poke it past Mince.
A flurry of free kicks and substitutions then broke up the play as both teams fought to find their rhythm, and despite working hard the Shockers carved out few clear-cut chances.
And after 78 minutes their job became harder when the Shockers were down to nine men when Roberto Najarro, a second-half substitute, was shown a straight red card for dissention.
Seven minutes later it was 4-2 and all over when Sanchez scored his second of the night when he stabbed in a cleared shot at the back post.
The Shell Shockers return to Texas this week for back-to-back games against current title holders El Paso Patriots on Friday and Saturday.