The Golden Lions came back to Davis with all three points on Saturday night after a convincing 4-1 victory over San Ramon FC in the first away match of the 2019 season.
Davis hit the road looking to secure a victory and push within two points of first place holders Napa Valley 1839 and Sacramento Gold in the Golden Gate Conference.
From the opening whistle, an attacking tone was set as both sides moved the ball up and down the field with ease.
After a couple of half-chances for both sides, the game settled and Davis began to find their offensive rhythm through counter attacks.
With San Ramon pushing numbers forward, spaces began opening up in the home sides back-line. At that point, Davisville Management Co. Man of the Match Evan Barrett sprang into action.
After three consecutive corners, one in which center back Lucas Mohageg hit the post, Evan Barrett received a pass off the head of Mohageg, quickly turned his defender on top of the box and fired a shot past the keeper to put the visitors up 1-0.
It wasn’t long after his first goal that Barrett again found the back of the net after blowing past two defenders and smashing a shot past the keeper at close range to put Davis up 2-0.
Barrett then turned into a supplier after moving down the right-hand flank and creating an opportunity for Miguel Acevedo, who calmly floated the ball into the back of the net for his second goal of the season.
Going into half-time, the Golden Lions had a three-goal cushion but with the quality San Ramon possessed, Davis knew it needed more goals.
The second half began and within minutes, the home side scored a goal off an errant cross in the Davis box to pull the game within two goals.
Momentum seemed to be going the way of San Ramon who nearly scored shortly after their opening goal only to be denied by the right hand of FC Davis keeper Jon Laughlin off a long range shot.
After play settled, it was the Golden Lions turn to create offense.
Jorge Negrete drew a corner for the Lions off a through ball from Miguel Acevedo. The corner led to Lucas Mohageg finishing off a corner fed by Andisheh Bagheri to put Davis up 4-1.
Once the three-goal cushion was restored, the holding midfield duo of Onah Power and Hoshang Hatifie and back line partnership of Brian Ford and Lucas Mohogeg took over.
The four stuffed all San Ramon attacks, not allowing any offensive output for the powerful San Ramon offense. Particularly impressive was Onah Power, who shut down former USL player Octovio Guzman all night long.
The final whistle blew and FC Davis walked off the pitch with all three points, moving the Lions to third place in the Golden Gate Conference.
The Golden Lions return home this Saturday night, 7:00 PM at Playfields Soccer Stadium against East Bay Stompers.