B y STEVE CORNELIUS, CJ Sports Editor
Somerset — The (0-11-1) Lincoln County Patriots came to Pulaski County High School on Tuesday night looking for their first win of the season.
What they found was a Dustin Wilson hat trick and a 6-1 setback to the Maroons.
The two teams jousted near the middle of the field for first 15 minutes of play before Wilson and teammate Matt Williams found themselves alone on a breakaway. Wilson brought the ball deep in the box and passed off at the last moment to leave Williams with an at-goal chip shot for the Maroons’ first score of the game.
In the 23rd minute, Wilson dribbled the ball deep into the penalty box pulling the Lincoln County keeper out to challenge, which left Wilson an open goal from 10 yards out for the score. Wilson’s score was set up by a Drew Patton through-pass.
Lincoln County mounted an offensive charge in the middle of the game with three direct shots on goal. But thanks to the sure hands of Pulaski keeper Andrew Hatfield, the Patriots came away with only one score to show for their efforts.
In the 37th minute, Hatfield caught a free kick attempt by Lincoln’s Jordan Dunn. Then in the 63rd minute, Hatfield saved a Patriot free kick attempt from 10 yards out in the penalty box.
However, Lincoln County finally got on the board in the 51st minute off a Tyler Ward 8-yard shot to pull the Patriots within one goal of the Maroons.
The Patriots enthusiasm for a possible comeback was short-lived as Pulaski scored four unanswered goals in the final 29 minutes of the game.
“We played a different type of game in the second half and we were a little more relaxed,” Pulaski coach Jose Baron said. “As a coach, I am trying to find that middle ground in an effort to keep them playing at the same level when you keep going up and down with the results of the game.”
“It is tough to play a team that is just starting out their program and try to play at the level your team should be playing at,” Barron added.
In the 51st minute, Pulaski’s Wilson chipped a 20-yard floater over the Lincoln keeper’s head for a 3-1 Pulaski lead.
In the 65th minute, Saleh Al-qabandi scored off a 18-yard free kick.
One minute later, the Maroons scored again to go up 5-1, Jared Burgett send a pass into the box to Corey Elliott, who set the ball down and teed off to score from 14 yards out
At the 67-minute mark, Wilson topped off the Maroon victory and completed his second career hat trick off a header in the box, set up by a Tyler Lester assist pass to give Pulaski their 6-1 winning margin.
Pulaski (7-6) will host Garrard County on Monday, Sept. 29.
