Barely a day after a heartbreaking loss to a strong Concord team on the road, the Marauders returned to the friendly confines of Merriman-Branch Field, and entertained a good crowd with a 5-0 victory over Merrimack. After back to back 1-0 defeats, Hanover returned to form both offensively and defensively, creating a bushel of scoring opportunities and becoming the first team this year to shut out the Tomahawks.
The Marauders continued their early-season habit of scoring early, taking a 1-0 lead within eight minutes for the third time this year. Charlie Adams did the honors with a great solo run on the left side, beating a defender, penetrating the penalty area, and hitting side netting inside the far post for his eighth goal of the season. With lots of fresh legs in the lineup, Hanover continued to pour it on. Eli Stack nearly collected his first goal with a short side shot for the baseline at the ten minute mark. Adams had two more good shots in quick succession, and then went into assist mode, sending Christo Dragnev in alone midway through the half. Dragnev's well-timed shot glanced off the far post, keeping the score at 1-0 momentarily.
Hanover's first corner kick opportunity of the evening quickly doubled the lead, when Liam Collins found Aiden Rowley at the near post for a short shot and his first goal of the year. The Marauders never let Merrimack get past midfield, and continue to generate powerful scoring opportunities. Adams had a wide open header on another corner kick, but was wide left. Liam Collins hit a rocket just over the bar from the 18. Dragnev had another breakaway in the box, and unfortunately just missed again from close range.
Merrimack, which had scored against good teams such as Central, Bedford, Keene and Portsmouth, finally generated a good scoring bid late in the first half, when a Hawk winger turned the corner deep in the Hanover end and hit a screaming centering pass with tow teammates waiting in front. Joey Perras was equal to the challenge in the Marauder goal, coming off his line to snare the ball and earn a dope keeper designation.
The Marauders tacked on one more goal just before the half. Moments after Gary Li had a good chance just misfire following a long throw by Colm Seigne, he settled in at the far post with Will Blinkhorn teeing up his first corner kick of the season. Blinkhorn's kick was perfectly aimed, and Li hit a looping header that drifted over keeper Samuel Cusson and settled into the net for his first goal of the campaign.
Hanover took the initiative at the start of the second half, but it was Merrimack that gained the first good scoring chance after a giveaway inside the Marauder box, forcing Perras to make a good save at close range. Shortly afterwards, a flurry inside the Merrimack box gave Eli Stack another good look.
The Marauders continued to generate a number of good-looking shots, and finally scored the best-looking goal of the day with less than eight minutes left in the match. Adams made a wonderful pass to Christo Dragnev on the right side of the box, and Dragnev took his defender to the baseline, turning and hitting a perfectly-aimed centering pass to an onrushing David Stoffel, who scored his first career goal.
Four minutes later, Adams got loose on a breakaway and had no one on his back as the steamed toward the Merrimack goal. Hawk keeper John Goodwin did a nice job coming off his line, and made a spectacular save on Adams' hard shot. Unfazed, Adams converted the final scoring chance of the game, taking a short corner kick form Nathan Sunrahmanian and tiptoeing on the right baseline before hitting a bad-angle shot and beating Goodwin for his ninth goal of the season.
The match wasn't perfect, but it contained a number of satisfying elements. Perras got his third shutout of the season, and earned it. All of the Marauder defenders did a nice job closing on the opposing forwards, and cutting out a number of attempted shots. Every field player played, at least some. Nobody got hurt. Hanover will take a well-deserved rest day on Sunday before training for another set of back to back games, a home game Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 against Alvirne, and then a road trip to Exeter Wednesday evening for the second of two makeup games.
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