Rattlers F.C. Win first Pre-Season Game

Rattlers open Pre-season with a win
Luis Bonuelos, Jesse Martin,and Mathayo Huma all score

Las Vegas, Nevada -Luis Bonuelos, Jesse Martin,Mathayo Huma all scored as the Rattlers F.C. opened their
Pre-season games with a 3-1 victory over Tyneside United F.C at the Betty Wilson Complex in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Saturday afternoon after a 4 hour trip to Las Vegas the team started out slow and disoriented. They looked like a bunch of players that got a pick up game together to play a well established team in Tyneside United. The first 45 minutes of the game really seemed slow, the players looked like they never played together, because they hadn't. The Rattlers F.C. had been together training for about two weeks and this exhibition game was their first together as a team.

There were plenty of chances for the home side in the opening 45 minutes, including a pass that ended up in the corner of the goalie box. Rattler keeper Zach Brunner came out to challenge the player, and as he did the player moved to the side of Brunner once Brunner committed, Tyneside slipped the first goal of the
game in to the net.

But that was it for Tyneside and the Rattlers kept pressure in the Tyneside zone and then in the 30th minute of play Luis Bonuelos one of the Rattlers new offense attacking forwards found himself in the box handling a series of passes that drew the Tyneside keeper out of the net to handle the ball and Bonuelos simply tapped the ball around the keeper to knot he score at one a piece before half time.

The second half was a complete turn around for the visiting Rattlers as they started to look like a team. Putting pressure on immediately, the Rattlers began an offensive attack as Alex Harlley had the ball in the corner of the home teams box, took his shot and it was blocked and returned right back to him. Harlley quickly gathered the ball
and passed it up to Stephen Martines who took a quick shot that again was blocked and bounced back to Martines. Martines who quickly retrieved it and sent it up top of the net but the keeper managed to push the ball over the top.
In the 50th minute of play Jesse Martin who was promoted from the Super 20 team of last year found himself sitting only 10 yards from goal. Martines had the ball at the point of the box covered with defenders, passed the ball to Jesse Martin who received it and kicked a roller that bounced off the leg of a Tyneside player and slowly
rolled in the net un-touched by the keeper. That put the Rattlers up by one and ended up being the game winner.

But Mathayo Huma wasn't done positioned 20 yards out in front of the net received a pass form Alex Harlley and fired a rocket passed the un expecting keeper and gave the Rattlers a two goal cushion.

Rattlers F.C. kept the pressure on Tyneside F.C. and they finally put together a couple of counter attacks that almost saved the game for them, but Rattlers keeper Martin Ruiz who was getting time in the second half came up big.
55 minutes of play had gone in the books when Mathayo Huma received a pass from Alex Harlley 25 yards out, Huma quickly took advanage of a perfect pass and fired a rocket to push the back of the net and give the Rattlers F.C. comfortable lead of 3-1

" Their playing a little slow and unsure of themselves and thats understandable since this is the first time they have ever played with each other, some never even seen each other before now." said Head Coach Jarrod Cline. They did well all things considered, "They got talent we just need to train them with each other so they can get to
know each other." I'm happy with the results, however we focused on improving our goal scoring that now we are top heavy and need to beef up the defense a bit" said Cline.They will now get ready for their second road trip to Fresno next weekend where they will play 2 competitive games. On Saturday the 9th the Rattlers will take on West Coast College at 11:30 am and then at 2:00 will battle with the Fresno Pacific Seabirds. Fans are welcome to come and support the players.