LANSING, Mich – Coming off a friendly victory over Livonia City FC, Lansing Common FC traveled to Saugatuck, MI to take on Holland Rovers in a Midwest Premier League matchup this past Wednesday.
Looking to keep its unbeaten streak alive in league play, the Robins were forced to utilize several reserve players due to the absences of several usual starters. Windy conditions in the city on the coast of Lake Michigan presented an additional challenge.
Lansing head coach Brent Sorg was also unavailable, leading to assistant coach Todd Derby stepping into the primary role. “We’ve been saying all season that this is one of our strongest teams we’ve had at Common, and we think we’ve got a deep team,” Derby said.
The first half saw LCFC dominate possession long enough for forward Carter Hagan to capitalize on a one-on-one opportunity in the 19th minute, getting the Robins on the board first. Midfielder Roarke Watterson played Hagan into open space down the right wing after an impressive individual effort to make his way through the middle of the Holland defense.
The remainder of the first half was an even contest, and in the halftime huddle, coach Derby highlighted the importance of keeping the ball on the ground to keep control of the match and combat the harsh winds.
“We were trying to be very direct with our play,” Derby said. “Every time we knocked a pass on the ground, we took a little bit of wind out of their [Rovers] sails; because they were playing very direct and trying to knock a big ball past us.”
Holland made some adjustments at the half, which resulted in a goal for the hosts in the 56th minute that knotted the game at 1-1.
Lansing fought to reclaim its spot in the driver’s seat following the equalizer. The Robins were able to retake the lead in the 70th minute when midfielder Elijah Vue cut inside past a Holland defender and scored his first goal for the club.
Vue was named co-man of the match for his performance alongside midfielder Jack Heald.
“It was a big one for him [Vue]. Big for his confidence,” Derby said. “We’ve played him in the back line. We’ve played him at the six [central midfield]. With some guys missing we’ve played him out wide. I thought he played really well in that role.”
With 20 minutes of regular time remaining, Holland turned up their pressure on the Robins defense, and things got chippy as multiple fouls were assessed to both sides.
A foul in added time by Rovers granted Lansing a free kick at the top of Holland’s box. Heald fired it under a wall of defenders and scored in the 93rd minute to seal the victory for the Robins.
“We weathered the storm,” Derby said. “We gave up a goal, and then we came back and battled and we put two more in on them. It was a big deal for the boys.”
The 3-1 victory over Holland earned another three points for Lansing (5-0-1), giving them a four-point lead over second-place Goshen City FC, who currently have a game in hand. The Robins host Goshen in their next match, which is shaping up to be one of the games of the season in the Great Lakes West Division title race.
“We’re in a situation where our next game against Goshen is going to be an important game for the league, so I think we’re in a good spot,” said Derby.
The Robins will take some time off before the highly-anticipated rematch against Goshen City FC at Eastern Stadium, which will kick off on Saturday, June 27, at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are just $5 online or $7 at the gate.
