By Alex Webbe
Lyndon Lea and his Zacara team got its first taste of Florida high-goal competition Saturday in a 26-goal exhibition match with a patchwork Bendabout lineup that was without the services of Argentine 10-goaler Miguel Novillo Astrada.
.Bendabout fielded a 23-goal team and received three goals to start the game as Sylvestre Donovan (7) filled in for Miguel who is being very protective of a strained muscle we are told.
Negro Astrada scored the first goal of the game, followed by a goal from Mariano Gonzalez to give Bendabout an early 5-0 lead. Lea managed to get Zacara on the scoreboard to finish the opening chukker, 5-1.
Mike Azzaro cut the lead to 5-2 in the second chukker, but Negro made it a four-goal lead again, 6-2. Carlos Gracida cranked up the volume on the Zacara offense, however, scoring once from the field and converting a short penalty shot. But Bendabout remained on top, 6-4.
Defense was the byword in the third chukker, with Azzaro accounting for the only score of the period. Bendabout took a 6-5 lead to the sidelines at the end of the first half.
“We’ve got some work to do, for sure,” said Zacara coach Steve Crowder. “Taking into consideration that this is our first real opportunity to play together competitively, “ he added, “I think the team shows promise.”
Gonzalez converted two penalty goals for Bendabout in the fourth chukker. Lyndon Lea’s second goal of the game kept Zacara in it, trailing 8-6.
Crowder’s halftime speech must have had teeth to it as the Zacara defense stiffened, shutting out Bendabout while two more goals from Azzaro tied it at 8-8.
Three straight goals from Zacara had it on the top side of an 11-8 score.
Gillian Johnston managed a single Bendabout goal, but Zacara’s twelfth goal of the game slammed the door on any hope for a comeback.
“We made some adjustments,” offered Crowder, “and we showed some improvement in the second half, but we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”
Zacara rallied to outscore Bendabout 6-1 in the last two chukkers, but are going to have to be ready for White Birch on Tuesday for the opening game of the USPA Piaget Gold Cup. As for Bendabout, it will open with a game against Lechuza Caracas on Wednesday, with Miguel Novillo Astrada back in the saddle.