United Soccer Leagues Second Division

The first 60 minutes of last night's season opener between the Richmond Kickers and Western Mass. were notable more for physical play and yellow cards than scoring chances.

Was the dreaded nil-nil deadlock in the offing for this United Soccer Leagues Second Division game?

Thankfully, no, as the Kickers scored twice in a span of three minutes and coasted to a 3-0 victory over the Pioneers in a chippy affair before 3,197 at University of Richmond Stadium.

"The first game of the season, you've got to expect to come out a little tight," said midfielder Mike Burke, who poked in Richmond's second goal.

"At the beginning of the season, you don't want to give up too many mistakes. I think we just needed to get one lucky break to go our way. That first goal was the catalyst for everything else to come."

The first one came off a free kick from about 20 yards away and involved some trickery. Forward Ben Hunter acted as though he would take it but curled to the left, as Burke slid the ball to him.

"It didn't quite work out exactly as we planned, but we made it work," said Hunter, who assisted on each of the first two goals. "We needed that goal."

Hunter sent a crossing pass into the 6-yard box, where defender Anthony Catalano headed the ball past goalkeeper Matt Glaeser to snap the scoreless standoff just shy of the 60th minute.

"On free kicks, Coach Cowlishaw sends up a couple of the guys in the back to make it a little more dangerous," Catalano said. "It was a great ball by Ben. He put it right back in my path, and I was fortunate enough to get onto it."

TWO MORE GOALS: Less than three minutes after Catalano's goal, Burke took another cross from Hunter, who was coming down the left flank, and flicked the ball over Glaeser, who never had a chance.

David Bulow added the coup de grace on a penalty kick in the 89th minute after newcomer Stanley Nyazamba, who had just entered the game, was taken down in the box.

"Those guys have been together for three or four years," Cowlishaw said of the Pioneers. "We knew they would give a solid performance. I felt that as the game went on, our fitness would hopefully be the difference on a bigger field.

"Not a perfect performance, but very, very solid. We didn't give many chances away."

Richmond keeper Ronnie Pascale had to make only three saves, just one of which was difficult.

SCORELESS HALF: Neither team had any real opportunities in the first 45 minutes, as the ball stayed mainly in the midfield.

The closest Richmond came to a goal was when a shot by Luke Vercollone sailed over the crossbar in the 31st minute. In the 35th minute, Neil Krause of Western Mass. was just wide with a header.

Krause, who is built more like a linebacker than a soccer player, threw his considerable weight around. Late in the opening half, he knocked defender Kelvin Jones to the ground and received a yellow card.

Seven yellow cards were handed out by referee Shaun Papperman, four to the Pioneers. Thirty-five fouls were called.

INJURY UPDATE: Richmond defender Kevin Knight left the game in the 12th minute with a hamstring injury. Knight, who works as a firefighter for the city of Richmond, is coming back after "retiring" in midseason a year ago.

The nine-year veteran was replaced by Evan Harding on the back line. Harding had been listed as doubtful because of a strained groin.

Midfielder Eliot Paschalis, a rookie out of Furman University, was not available because of a strained knee.

HIT THE ROAD JACK: This was Richmond's only home game in the first month of the season. The Kickers are at Charlotte on Friday and Crystal Palace Baltimore on May 4. After a week off, Richmond goes to Western Mass. on May 17 and finally returns to UR Stadium on May 24 vs. Charlotte (7 p.m.).

Western Mass. ------------------------- 0 0 -- 0
Richmond ------------------------- 0 3 -- 3

Scoring: 1, Richmond, Catalano 1 (Hunter), 60th minute; 2, Richmond, Burke 1 (Hunter), 63rd; 3, Richmond, Bulow 1 (penalty kick), 89th.

Shots: Richmond 9-7

Saves: Western Mass, Glaeser 3; Richmond, Pascale 3

Corner kicks: Richmond 6-4

Offsides: Western Mass 1-0

Fouls: Western Mass 18-17

Yellow cards: Jones, Rich, 20th; Krause, WM, 43rd; Bissett, WM, 58th; Augustine, WM, 65th; Bumbut, Rich, 69th; Smith, Rich, 79th; Wilson, WM, 80th

Referee: Shaun Papperman

Attendance: 3,197.