With 0-0 draw against Detroit, Monterey Bay F.C. moves closer to breaking out of cellar.

Under a lowering marine layer carried by a biting January-like gale on a July evening, Monterey Bay F.C. goalkeeper Antony Siaha kept his second consecutive clean sheet to secure a 0-0 draw against Detroit City at Cardinale Stadium on Saturday.

The outcome has positive implications for Monterey Bay. The club picked up at least a point for the third time in the past three games, bringing them 2 points shy of Orange County in the Western Conference standings. Should the Union win this coming Saturday and OC lose or draw, Monterey Bay would be clear of the cellar for the first time.

“I’m looking forward to the next home game on Saturday,” observes Union head coach Frank Yallop. “Performance-wise, we’ve played very well in the last few games.”

Yet he characterized Saturday’s non-conference match as one of missed opportunities. Throughout the first half, Monterey Bay pushed the ball into promising territory, but each chance fizzled.

A shot by forward Christian Volesky in the 8th minute was deterred by Detroit’s center backs. A cross into the box a few moments later by Adrian Rebollar found nothing but visiting jerseys. Volesky missed wide left, as did Simon Dawkins.

Siaha, meanwhile, was left with little to do. Monterey Bay’s back four, which had been riddled by injuries in the season’s early going, absorbed almost every threat. Center backs Hugh Roberts and Kai Greene proved particularly stout, allowing Morey Doner to launch counter attacks.

“As the results have shown in the last three, it means a lot to have all of us back in the rotation,” says Grant Robinson, who holds down the left wing. “It’s just a comfort level.”

Monterey Bay’s defense has conceded a single goal in the last 270 minutes of play, none in the last 180.

Only one time on the night did Detroit break clear inside the box. But Siaha proved up to the task. Starting only his second game since turning professional, Siaha has thrown shutouts against Orange County and Detroit.

“I don’t know that I am very composed yet, to be honest,” the keeper admits. “There’s a whole bunch of stuff still going through my head during the match. But as long as I keep the ball out of the net, everything is good.”

The visitors bunched up defensively in the second half, cutting off counterattacking avenues. Yallop turned to the bench, where he had considerable size in Seku Conneh, Jason Johnson and Chris Cortez. All three made dangerous runs in the game’s waning moments, but all for nought.

“They kept the ball for long periods in the second half, but I felt that the couple of changes that we made freshened things up,” Yallop explains. “I think it springboarded us to go forward and try to win the game.”

Detroit City entered the game on 33 points to Monterey Bay’s 16. The draw brings the Union to 5-2-11 and 17 points on the season. 

On Monday veteran goalkeeper Dallas Jaye, who was in reserve on Saturday, announced that he would retire following the upcoming match in order to take on coaching responsibilities at Saint Mary’s College of California.

Meanwhile, Hunter Gorskie, who was signed to a contract on July 8, made his debut against Detroit.

The Union plays host to New York Red Bulls II on Saturday night at Cardinale Stadium in another non-conference showdown. Kickoff is at 7pm.