Box Score After two low-scoring matches to begin their OUA campaign, the Marauder offence has come alive.
McMaster put five goals past the Brock Badgers on Wednesday, including a hat-trick for senior forward Mark Reilly, and routed the Badgers 5-0 in driving rain at Ron Joyce Stadium. Marco Gennaccaro had a brace of his own for the Marauders, who improved to 2-0-2 on the season with the result.
There was no time wasted by the Marauders, who jumped out an an almost immediate lead when Reilly potted his first of the game in just the sixth minute. Their superior build-up play had the Badgers on the run, and there were no shortage of chances for a second goal in the early stages. Gersi Xhuti came close in the 14th minute, dummying past his defender and forcing an alert stop from the Brock keeper with a hard, rising shot just under the bar.
It was Reilly with the answer once again in the 28th, as he sliced into the box and cut the ball back to create space, before chipping a shot past the onrushing goalkeeper.
Nate Morris very nearly had a third for the Marauders in the 33rd minute, when he spotted the goalkeeper well off his line and sent a low shot toward the far post that narrowly missed and skidded wide.
Before the halftime whistle blew, it was the Badgers who nearly struck against the run of play, as a tight flick in the box found the crossbar but bounced harmlessly over the net.
Regular service resumed as the second half got underway, and McMaster had the third goal that they'd been hinting at when Gennaccaro latched onto an excellent through ball along the left, and calmly fired a shot past the keeper at the near post in the 48th minute.
With the result a near certainty, the two teams appeared to settle in, eager to kill the clock and escape the miserable conditions at Ron Joyce Stadium. But when a penalty shout was answered in the 88th minute, Reilly stepped up and made amends for his miss on the weekend by coolly slotting the spot kick low and past the keeper for 4-0 and a hat-trick. Just a minute later, Gennaccaro had his brace, as he wriggled free of coverage in the area and put home another clinical finish.
Not content with two, Gennaccaro very nearly completed his own hat-trick in stoppage time, but his close-range effort thundered cruelly off the crossbar.
With Wednesday's demolition job done, the Marauders now look forward to the weekend, as they travel to Waterloo for a match with the Warriors on Sunday.
