After a tenative opening ten minutes the Hibriten Panther soccer team took control of the game, defeating Maiden 3-0 in Lenoir Monday night. Hibriten out shot Maiden 20-6 and earned ten corners to Maidens one.
The scoring began in the sixteenth minute when Miguel Aguilar had a cross to a crashing Sven Picton deflect off a defender for an own goal. Picton who has been nursing a nagging back injury had just entered the game a minute earlier. His impact on the game was immediate as his defensive pressure in Hibriten's half of the field began the scoring run. Picton's playing minutes were limited as he tries to heal but his appearance seemed to lift the Panthers out of their fog. In the twentieth minute Zack Stanfield had a nice finish cleaning up an Aguilar rebound.Miguel's shot came at the end of a seven pass build up. The final goal came five minutes into the second half when Miguel Aguilar stole the ball from a Maiden midfielder, then dropped it to Jules Picton who slotted the ball into the box for Aguilar, who finished calmly.
Hibriten had a lot of opportunities that they just couldn't finish. With fourteen minutes left in the first half Zack Stanfield headed a corner just over the crossbar. A minute later Tanner Sinclair had a rip from just inside the box that was blocked by a defender. As the half was winding up Josh Stamey settled a ball just inside the eighteen but his shot was high.
During the second half the chances continued starting with Cameron Sinclair's cross that Matt Stanfield headed high. Seven minutes in Aguilar split two defenders with a pass to Max Lewis who had his near post shot pushed wide by an incredible save. The ensuing corner kick was put over the top by Zack Stanfield. Sven Picton was denied on two chances, one a shot from the 18 that was batted away and a header from the corner sent to the keeper.
Maiden had very few chances, with Hibriten in complete control of the midfield they had to rely on going over the top. The Panther's defense did a great job all night of keeping their shape and denying any penetration.
Coach Blanton continued to do a good job managing players as the game ended with only four starters on the field.
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