Hickory FC Pulls Away in Second Half, Beats Burlington United 6-1 To Stay Perfect in Conference Play
Despite entering Saturday night’s matchup as heavy favorites, Hickory FC walked into the halftime locker room locked in a 1–1 draw with Burlington United after a first half defined by dominance and close calls.
The Southeast Conference leaders came into the match undefeated in league play and opted to rotate the squad following a grueling midweek battle with Greenville United. Head coach Carlos Rubio gave several regular starters a night off, trusting the depth of his bench to deliver against a Burlington side that entered the contest in last place in the Southeast Conference.
Hickory FC opened the match on the front foot, controlling possession from the first whistle and immediately putting Burlington under pressure. Their early intensity resulted in five shots on goal in the first twelve minutes alone.
The breakthrough finally came in the 12th minute when a deflected shot inside the box bounced into the path of John Osadolor.
Osadolor reacted instantly, pouncing on the loose ball and sliding it into the net to put Hickory up 1–0.
At that point, Hickory was in full control. The midfield continued to dictate the pace, and the team looked like they were just one sharp pass away from doubling the lead. But despite all the possession and pressure, that second goal never came.
Then, out of nowhere, Burlington struck back.
In the 22nd minute, they pieced together their first real attacking sequence of the match—and made the most of it.
Having yet to register a shot on goal in the match, striker Diego Thompson found a pocket of space and took his chance well, firing home Burlington’s first shot on target to even the score.
It felt like an early gut check for Hickory—who had dominated nearly every minute until that moment.
With that being said, whatever questions there were at halftime didn’t last long.
After a frustrating end to the first half, Hickory FC came out firing in the second and completely took over, scoring five goals after the break to blow past Burlington United, 6–1
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The real story extends well beyond Saturday’s final score—it's about the larger narrative Hickory FC is writing, and just how remarkable their rise has been.
This is only their second season as a club. And yet, they’re not just competitive in the NPSL’s Southeast Conference—they’re leading the way. They’re the reigning conference champions. They haven’t lost a conference match in almost a year. And on top of all that, they’re drawing serious, passionate fans—averaging well over 2,000 fans per home game. Saturday night brought in 3,355.
Compare that to Burlington United. This is their first year as a club in the NPSL, and they’re still trying to find their footing as they sit at the bottom of the conference without a win.
No, that’s not a shot at Burlington United, but it should serve as a reminder that what Hickory FC is accomplishing is anything but normal.
Ownership and Head coach Carlos Rubio are building something special here in Hickory, North Carolina, and it feels as if the club is now on national watch.
A clear message to all fans of the NPSL: Don’t take your eyes off Hickory FC.
Photo Credit: Jackson Shoe and Bryson Smith