Bulldogs electrify fans with 5-1 win over Highlanders
DECATUR — After several weeks on the road, the Decatur soccer team finally got its chance to play in front of a home crowd when the team returned to Bulldog Stadium for a game against the Eureka Springs Highlanders on March 30.
After dealing with several glitches in the scoreboard, the game was finally underway, when suddenly, out of nowhere, a Highlander player slipped the ball past Decatur goalkeeper Ben Watkins and into the net for the first goal of the night. Decatur coaches, players and fans were stunned that Eureka was able to score with barely 30 seconds off the clock.
This proved to be the only goal Watkins and the Bulldog defensive line would allow the Highlanders for the remainder of the contest.
At the 25-minute mark in the first half, Bulldog shooter Roger Hernandez slipped the ball past the Highlander goalkeeper and into the net for a goal. The first half ended in a 1-1 tie.
Just before the start of the second half, the scoreboard went blank, causing a 10-minute delay while Decatur officials tried to get it back online. But the clock was down for the count and officials had to keep the time and the score.
The Bulldogs took control early in the second half when Carlos Hernandez kicked one past the Eureka Springs goalkeeper to give the Bulldogs the lead by one. By the end of the contest, Roger Hernandez scored two more goals, and Carlos Hernandez managed to hit one, giving the Decatur Bulldogs their first conference victory at home, 5-1, over the Eureka Springs Highlanders.