Postives and negatives from this morning's match with Winchester, who sits one point ahead of DEA in the standings.  DEA played well, really well, and fully deserved all three points on the road.  The negatives, their inability to contain the dangerous striker, OG, repeated his magic from last week and snatched two points away from DEA.

DEA started out flying on the swampy Winchester pitch.  The opening five minutes saw DEA fully dominating, keeping Winchester penned in their own zone while DEA swirled about.  They would have no less than six glorious chances in the opening minutes, the best when Easy Eddie Ibanez smashed drive off the bar. 

Winchester gave up possession readily in the opening minutes, so they were content to try to attack via the counter.  They almost broke through on five minutes when Igor Splawsky blew some vodka fumes and rattled a low shot on frame.  DEA keeper Chris Cloutier parried it off the post, which the resulting rebound bounded off his face and settled wide.  The scary moment assured DEA that Winchester was not going to sit this one completely out. 

More dominance by DEA ensued, but not quite as clear as previously.  Winchester then went ahead on 15 minutes with a nicely taken restart 20 yards from goal.  Roy Gomes' shot cleared the wall and settled out of Cloutier's reach.  DEA deserved the lead, but Winchester was all to ready to cash in.

DEA again started out the second half playing well.  Newbie Ian Wallingford played the roll of the mudder, creating havoc on the right side and the Winchester defenders on their heels.  However, as the game neared the 70th minute, it was looking like DEA wouldn't truley regret not taking advantage when they could.

Cloutier parried Kazelyn Levon's shot over the bar to keep it a one-goal game.  Two minutes later, they were level. 

Wallingford took a Joao Palva feed on the right, and sent a cross toward the puddles.  Gary Larusso opened his DEA account as the skittering cross skimmed toward him, where he finished from close range.

Five minutes later, Ibanez settled off a scramble from a corner.  He found Joe Masci, who allowed the ball to settle in the puddle nicely before smashing from 8 yards out.  DEA had a well-deserved lead, and needed to see this out for the last 5 minutes.

Instead, there was more OG magic on the menu for DEA.  One week after OG went down to head home a low cross to give Danvers the win, this time he rose magestically in traffic to thump home a header to the upper ninety as Winchester stole two points from DEA.

DEA is back next week against Marblehead.  Folks...keep playing just as we did today, and we will be fine.