FK Republika Srpska maintained their perfect record last Sunday when they dispatched the Byki Red Team 4:2 in Homer Glen. It was the second consecutive win for the Serbs over a Byki side; they beat the Blue Team 5:4 on April 27. The Serbs capitalized on Byki errors in the first half and took their chances well. The Byki rebounded in the second half and began playing up to their potential, but the problems in the first half were simply too much to overcome.

The Serbs have not shown any signs of letdown from their highly successful indoor season, which was their introduction into the NSL. They earned promotion to the Major Division for the 2008-09 indoor season and their current form puts them on pace to do a rare double as they seek entry into the Majors next spring.

Srpska scored an early goal when the Byki made a crucial defensive mistake in their end of the field. A Srpska player punished the Byki by beating Nicoara Talpes with a shot from outside the box.

The Byki created their first good scoring chance in the 20th minute when Kevin Biggs heaved a long throw-in over everyone, finding Russ Haynes open in front of the net. Haynes's header from six yards narrowly missed the target.

The Byki were caught flat-footed in the 35th minute on a Srpska corner kick. The Byki left a Srpska player unmarked in front of the goal area and he blasted home for a 2:0 lead.

Coach Joe Gambino gave a halftime talk that was part tirade and part motivation. The Byki got the message and they increased their intensity and used a physical approach to get back into the game. This resulted in many more scoring opportunities, as Paul Gibbs, Luis Arredondo, and Minos Bouzoukis imposed themselves in the middle of the field.

The Byki cut the deficit in half in the early moments of the second stanza. Another powerful throw-in from Biggs proved dangerous, leaving Bouzoukis to tap in from three yards.

Unlike their performance versus the Blue Team when they blew a 2:0 lead, the Serbs were not about to let the Red Team back into the contest. They made it 3:1 shortly after the Byki goal, converting a breakaway situation. Talpes charged off of his line to challenge for the ball, but the Srpska striker smartly chipped the ball over Talpes to score from 25 yards.

The Byki maintained the attacking pressure. Arredondo's corner kick found Abrahan Ruiz unmarked just two yards from the goal, but Ruiz somehow contrived to put it over the bar. It was clearly an opportunity that was easier to score than to miss.

Srpska put a stranglehold on the match when the Byki botched an offside trap and the Serbs converted a counterattacking opportunity to go up 4:1. The Byki nabbed a consolation goal two minutes from the end when Arredondo sent a free kick into the area and Josh Taylor slotted home from ten yards.

In both of their games so far, the Red Team have been up-and-down. Playing one strong half per game is no enough to remain competitive in the 1st Division.

Russ Haynes contributed to this story.

BYKI LINEUP
(4-4-2): Talpes, N. – Towsey, Casey, Black, Dziekiewicz – Bouzoukis, Torossian, Taylor, Arredondo – Haynes, Biggs. Bench: Daniel, Gibbs, Rose, Ruiz.

BYKI SCORING SUMMARY
Bouzoukis 1 (Biggs); 50th; 2:1. Taylor 1 (Arredondo); 88th; 4:2.