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Lou City 1 Cup-Lex SC 0 Cups — Fleur-de-lis FC

Everyone was nice…

Inside the stadium, I can’t speak highly enough of the experience of covering a match at LSC’s stadium. The media parking and entrance were clearly marked. Elizabeth and I had our own numbered vest (with a zipper that didn’t get inevitably tangled when I put in on, unlike the comedy or errors that happens when I put on the media vest at home matches and the Velcro always gives me fits.) The stadium security staff were nice and helpful. Twice (Twice!) I had a member of their support staff ask me if I needed anything while covering the match (I did grab a couple of water bottles). The fans were polite (nothing against the fans in Lynn’s Waterfront Supporter’s Zone, but I didn’t hear anything mean-spirited). The general demeanor set Lou City up nicely to rip their hearts out.

But give me efficient any day of the week.

On the downside, I felt like the city in general was ill-prepared to take on a match of such magnitude. I am not sure whose job it is, and it’s likely both sides’ (city and club) job to make sure that the experience getting in and out of the stadium is just as good. I heard rumors (which I 100% believe based on my experience exiting the stadium a full half hour after the final whistle) that some the fans didn’t get to their seats until the 25th minute. This screams a lack of preparedness. I am a process guy by trade and by nature. The thing about process is it is emotionless. It doesn’t “do” blame. It does however do responsibility. Surely between the Lexington Police Department and the club, they could have figured out that they might need some help with traffic. One of my pet peeves is to see a police cruiser sitting in a spot to write a ticket for a city’s revenue generation instead of actually assisting the public. Near the on ramp to I-75 North on the way home I saw a police vehicle sitting, doing what seemed to be nothing, when there needed to be about a dozen of them assigned to traffic duty for the match. It is a process failure that I hope the city learns from.

DO BETTER LEXINGTON.

Lou City lined up as: 1-Las, 2-McFadden, 5-Ordonez, 7-Serrano, 13-Dia, 17- T Davila, 23-Gleadle, 24-Jones, 31-Lambert, 53-Lancaster 32-Adams (C)

1st Minute

All kinds of stuff is on the line in tonight’s match and Lancaster gets off to a lively start. I’m not sure why Lexington didn’t have a standard loan clause to prevent him from playing against them. Could be a league thing, but if it was lack of foresight, I would believe that too.

6th Minute

Jones can’t quite see a ball over the line and concedes an unnecessary corner.

8th Minute

Third corner in two minutes as Lou City can’t seem to get out of their own half.

9th Minute

Serrano wins a free kick at the end of a good run.

11th Minute

Lambert’s nice effort is unintentionally blocked by Gleadle’s backside. It looked to be dangerous and on target. McFadden has a chance on a follow up but doesn’t catch it cleanly.

17th Minute

Serrano snatches at one and it goes wide.

19th Minute

Lambert might be a little fortunate to escape a yellow card on a dangerous challenge.

20th Minute

The best chance by either side so far is a header from LSC that hits the post.

27th Minute

Cory Burke for LSC tries something…it goes hilariously wrong.

33rd Minute

In my opinion, the center referee gets it slightly wrong trying to play an advantage for LSC. This is really the only thing that the officials got even debatably wrong all evening. It was a good officiating performance for what should be a rivalry match.

36th Minute

Good chance on a corner for Ordonez, but his head makes too much contact when a glancing header was likely needed.

40th Minute

Gleadle hesitates for a millisecond and misses the chance to get a good shot off.

41st Minute

After complaining out loud about how forward Jones is playing, he shut’s me up by putting a solid effort just wide.

Half Time

Wildcats 0 - Lou City 0

It was a fairly even half even if Lou City controlled most of the possession, but LSC had the best chance.

49th Minute

Jones goes just high on a header.

51st Minute

Another decent chance on a cross from Gleadle.

52nd Minute

Good grab by Las on a potentially dangerous ball.

57th Minute

Amazing save by Las on a really good chance by LSC.

61st Minute

Gleadle pleads for a handball…nothing doing.

63rd Minute

Changes: M Perez for Jones, Wilson for Lancaster, and Morris for Dia.

67th Minute

Morris goes down in the box…nothing.

69th Minute

Lou City has a bunch of chances, but the ball will not go in. It is starting to feel like “one of those nights”.

58th Minute

Serrano wins a free kick just outside of the box.

70th Minute

Gleadle’s effort from distance is saved nicely.

71st Minute

It’s really one-way traffic at this point.

76th Minute

More desperate defending by LSC, but they are keeping the ball out of the net.

80th Minute

Ownby comes on for an absolutely gassed Gleadle. Davila the Younger replaces Serrano.

82nd Minute

Tame effort from Wilson.

87nd Minute

Greene chips Las and LSC look like they have stolen the match and ended Lou City’s cup run.

90th Minute + 1

Morris cleans up a barrage of attempts and pulls Lou City level.

90th Minute + 7

Morris gets his brace on a banger and Lou City now have to scoreboard watch to see if they continue in the cup competition.

Full Time

Green Pony Club 1 - Lou City 2

In the end, the results don’t fall Lou City’s way, but they get to lift a trophy (the mechanics of which are kind of funny in that you just flip the top to show who won). It’s a double trophy weekend and DeMelo was in Lexington to celebrate with Adams.

I wonder how different the celebrations would have been if City lost 1-0 or drew 1-1, but we’ll never know. The away support was great. There is a case to make for closing sections of Lynn Family Stadium to create a similar atmosphere if the attendance is rarely going to be above 10,000.

Lexington Sporting Club 1 Lou City 2 As It Happened