Freitas’ late penalty kick lifts MGCCC

Chris Handy doesn't want to offend the Ellisville Chamber of Commerce, but he's happy to have escaped that town with his first victory there.

Mississippi Gulf Coast squandered an early lead, then got a late penalty drawn by Gio Freitas and scored by him in a 3-2 victory at Jones County.

"We'll take it, and I don't have to go back there for another year," said Handy, laughing at the tough and weird outings his clubs have had there. "It was exactly the same as last year. WE started off on fire. Two goals in the first 10 minutes, and it could have been four.

"The wheels fell off at that point, and it just progressively worse as the game went on."

Gulf Coast improved to 4-2 on the season, and 2-1 in the MACJC South. It was a crucial win against a team that figures to be in the division title hunt.

Jones fell to 3-3, 2-1.

Juan Salazar put Gulf Coast out front 62 seconds into play with a goal from inside the 18-yard box. James Beattie's sixth goal of the year six minutes later gave the Bulldogs a two-goal bulge.

But the Bobcats would get a goal just before halftime, and another just after to tie the game.

Gulf Coast would get a break on a corner kick, with the referee awarding a penalty kick. He said Freitas was pulled down in the penalty box with 26 minutes left, and Freitas stepped up to score the deciding goal.

"It wasn't our best effort, but it's a positive that we got a win when we're not playing our best," Handy said. "We have control, but we've still got a lot of work to do and a lot to cover over the next two weeks."

Gulf Coast plays home matches against Meridian on Tuesday and Southwest on Sept. 19.