Brown Scores Two as Bolts Come From Behind to Beat AC Connecticut
The New Zealand born striker bagged a brace off the bench to secure the first three points of the season for the Bolts
Saturday night, the Boston Bolts played host to AC Connecticut on matchday four of their 2025 campaign. In a back and forth game, the Bolts were able to come from behind, scoring two unanswered goals that handed the visitors their first loss of the season.
The hosts secured their first win of the season at a crucial time, allowing them to build momentum as they head into the middle stage of their season.
From the opening whistle, the Bolts looked lively. The return of Rainer Chai in the heart of the midfield following his red card on matchday one brought a sense of urgency and energy that wasn’t quite there during his absence. Right winger Ben Kelley used his pace to wreak havoc on the AC Connecticut backline in what was his first start of the season, while Felipe De Andrade threatened the opposition with his dazzling skills on the opposite wing.
By the 30th minute, the Bolts were controlling the game, dominating possession and creating dangerous chances. But in similar fashion to their match a week previous against Boston City, they just weren’t able to capitalize in the final third.
De Andrade had the best chance of the half on a counter attack when he received the ball on the left side of the box with space to shoot, pulling his attempt right at AC Connecticut goalkeeper Luca Marinelli. Additionally, Chai had a look at an empty net from about midway after Marinelli cleared a ball out of his box on the floor. The Brandeis midfielder did well to get the attempt on net, but Marinelli was able to scramble back into his box to collect. Despite not getting their goal, the Bolts went into the half knowing they were playing good football and that they were so close to breaking the deadlock.
In response to getting outplayed in the first forty five minutes of play, AC Connecticut came out flying to start the second half. They generated a couple of decent chances before the breakthrough came in the 51st minute, when Gianluca Armellino dribbled the ball down towards the endline and played a cross across the box that deflected off the hand of Bolts Captain Abdel Talabi. The official pointed to the spot and awarded the visitors a penalty. A moment later, Armellino himself coolly placed his penalty right down the middle and gave the visitors a one to nothing lead.
With the game now flipped on its head, Coach Robertson made his third and fourth substitutions of the game in the 55th minute after bringing on Alexi Karalis and Jason Zacarias at the half. Dylan Walsh came on for Filipe Bastos at right back, while Fraser Brown was introduced as the new center forward, with Alex St. John making way.
Ultimately, the substitutions changed the game.
The halftime substitutes brought much needed fresh legs into the midfield. Zacarias shined, dancing around AC Connecticut defenders with flare before creating attacking chances with insightful through balls. Walsh’s flexibility proved crucial, as he filled in as a center back while the Bolts switched to three in the back in search of an equalizer.
But the substitute who made the biggest difference was none other than Brown. From the moment he stepped onto the pitch, the striker worked hard to get on the ball and be in the right spots off the ball. Eventually, his hard work paid off.
In the 72nd minute, Zacarias played a beautiful through ball down the right flank towards Simba Odhiambo, who had pushed higher up the field after the formation change. Odhimabo played a one time cross into Brown, who popped the ball into the air with his first touch and volleyed the ball past Marinelli with his second touch, tying the game at one goal a piece. Brown was swarmed by his teammates, who were elated with his equalizing effort.
But it was clear that he and the Bolts were not done there.
As time winded down, the Bolts pushed for a winning goal. Coach Robertson called for intensity from his team and insisted they stay high up the pitch. After a few half chances, it looked as though the Bolts might have to settle for a draw.
But then in the 88th minute, the hosts won a corner that represented a promising final chance to get a second goal. De Andrade’s initial ball in was a little short but after a backwards clearance from AC Connecticut left back Trevor Pegg and a flick on from Abdel Talabi, Brown found himself right in front of goal with only the goalkeeper to beat. Once again, the striker did what he does best, putting the ball into the back of the net and giving the Bolts their first lead of the season.
The Bolts were able to hold off a late push from the visitors in extra time, in large part thanks to Talabi putting his body on the line to block a goal-bound strike. After five minutes of added time, the final whistle blew, and the Bolts claimed their first three points of the 2025 season.
“It’s been real tough on the boys. We’ve been playing some brilliant football and not getting the rewards in terms of the result,” said Bolts Head Coach Greig Robertson after the match. “I’m delighted that today they showed some brilliant character and resilience to come back from a goal down.”
As the team approaches the middle third of their season, Robertson highlighted the importance of their first win.
“I’m delighted that they’ve actually managed to get the result,” he said. “It means a lot to the boys and kinda justifies the good performance and hopefully, the way that we're trying to play.”
Next up for the Bolts is a meeting with the second place Western Mass Pioneers on Tuesday in their final match of a five game homestand. With the Northeast Division so tight as things stand, the next couple of games will be real six-pointers.
Kickoff between the Bolts and the Pioneers is set for 7:00 PM on Tuesday at Gordon Field.