Dothan United at Montgomery United Preview (with Southern Charm Sports)
102 miles, eight turns, and a lot of bad blood!
102 miles and eight turns.
That’s how far it is from Rip Hewes Stadium in Dothan, AL to the Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex in Montgomery, AL. For the next two weeks, the two teams will be very familiar with the two-hour drive along Highway 231. The inaugural match of the 231 Derby between Dothan United SC and Montgomery United FC will take place on Saturday, May 10th at Emory Folmar in Montgomery. The week after, Montgomery will travel down to Dothan for the second installment of the Derby at Rip Hewes Stadium.
Dothan United will be starting their sophomore season with the matchup in Montgomery. Last year, the Dragons finished 4-4-4 and third place in the South Central Division. This year, the Dothan United coaching staff has put together a stout roster with talent from across the NCAA landscape, USL, and player development academies. The level of talent was on full display on May 3rd, when Dothan hosted AFC Mobile for what was originally slated to be a preseason match but was altered to be a scrimmage due to inclement weather. Nevertheless, Dothan and Mobile played a full 90 minutes in which Dothan would score nine goals, including five within the first thirty minutes. Forward Santiago Hoyos, a new addition for Dothan, made a strong debut, scoring four goals for the boys in red and black. Dothan native Alec Palanjian scored as well, along with newcomers Matt Everitt, Ryan Manna, and Ezra White.
From first impressions, the Dothan attack is significantly quicker, and more precise. The work that players have put in has been noticed, and the chemistry on the pitch is palpable. The defense is aggressive and clearly follows Head Coach Carl Reynolds’ philosophy of “I just want the ball.” While we’ve only seen a portion of what this team is capable of, it is safe to say that the match against Montgomery will be a good indicator of how the team will fare in divisional play this season.
The same could be said of Montgomery. Having now converted from GCPL Alabama FC South to Montgomery United FC, they enter their first season in USL2 play. Headed by Manager Manny Sanchez and Head Coach Tate Dean, the side will operate out of a 4-3-3. When asked what the tactical approach would be, Dean simply stated "play to win".
Their captain is Glenn Waters, a veteran of the now AFC->MUFC side, an Irish native who finished his collegiate career just down the road at AUM before becoming a professional. He is joined by co-stars Hamza Sadiq, Dan Ivanov, and Matt Reed. Sadiq is a fellow long time contributor to the club, as he brings experience and a vocal presence to the backline that will be crucial to the team as the season rolls on. Ivanov is a midfielder who is coming off of a two year collegiate tenure where he clocked nearly 2000 minutes for the Barton College Bulldogs. His skillset shines in the box to box game where he can help the transitional play throughout. Matt Reed is another new face to the bunch; previously of then-GCPL foe Southern States SC, Reed brings a goal scoring talent that will provide a spark and flair for the team’s attack throughout the season.
Which club’s array of new talent will lead to a victory? That is to be seen this Saturday at 7:30pm EST.
Hoping eventually I'll be able to make it out to one of these matches, only a quick 5 or 6 hours one way. Dothan has proven itself and Montgomery seems ready to prove themselves. Really excited to watch this develop.