KDH Pressbox

COPPERAS COVE  — Never mind that Copperas Cove led by two goals at halftime and even held a two-goal lead midway through the second half.
When the Bulldawgs and Ellison have gotten together during the last two seasons, someone is usually going to win by just a goal.

On Friday on the road, it was the Eagles.
Ellison scored three unanswered goals in the final 19 minutes of play, with Misael Gomez putting the game winner into the back of the net with 42 seconds remaining for the 4-3 win at Cove’s Avenue E Field.
“This is a typical Cove-Ellison game,” Cove head coach John Jackson said.

Ellison stays just ahead of Cove in the District 12-5A standings, with the Eagles (5-12-1) improving to 4-9-0 in district play. Cove falls to 4-13-0 overall and 1-12-0 in district.
The last four meetings between the teams have come down to a goal. Cove swept the district series last year with a pair of one-goal victories, while the Eagles was up big on Cove during the first round of district play before pulling out a win in overtime.

“Every time we play Copperas Cove, it’s a tough battle,” Ellison coach Niles Dunnells said. “We knew not to take them lightly, but down two goals we knew we could play with them and get back into the game.”

Ellison got on the board with 26:54 left to play on a Gomez penalty kick.
But then the fireworks started eight minutes later.

The Eagles were called for a foul in their box and Cove was awarded the penalty kick. Cove keeper Austin Papson took the kick and put the ball into the top left corner, giving the Dawgs their second two-goal advantage.

The lead held for just over five minutes. Ellison actually got to within a goal 13 seconds after Papson’s penalty kick and Jalil Martin added the Eagles’ second penalty kick with 12:59 to play to make the score 3-3.

Ellison benefitted in the second half by a formation change made a few games ago, as the Eagles switched from a 4-4-2 formation with just two players up to a 3-4-3.

The Eagles also played longer passes down the field and forced Cove defenders to run toward their goal, which eventually led to both Ellison penalty kicks.

In the final minute, A.J. Tello made a run up the left side before crossing the ball to Gomez, who settled the ball and beat Papson to the right side.