WINTHROP — It’s not too often that both coaches leave the playing field satisfied after a scoreless tie.

But was the case on Wednesday night.

The Monmouth Mustangs and Winthrop Ramblers battled for 90 minutes with multiple stoppages for injuries and quality chances by both squads.

“We had a lot of punch,” said Winthrop coach Lonney Steeves. “I thought it was our best game of the year.”

Monmouth coach Gary Trafton was happy to leave the field scoreless.

“We’re lucky we came out of it with a tie,” said Trafton. “They outplayed us.”

The Ramblers (2-4-3) utilized a 3-4-3 formation due to a recent injury to sophomore forward Ryan Phillips, to control most of the first half. They continually beat the Mustangs (5-2-2) to loose balls.

“We can’t get into a kick and chase game,” said Trafton. “That’s just not our cup of tea.”

The second half was as even as it gets. Both teams had numerous scoring chances.

With just over 21 minutes left in regulation, Winthrop’s Jason Allen headed a ball toward the goal only to have Monmouth keeper Kyle Pelletier (10 saves) make a sprawling save.

Eight minutes later, Monmouth’s Andy Bellmore received a long lead pass just off the right post. As Bellmore squared to fire on net, Winthrop fullback Jesse Wilbur rushed across to smother the shot and subsequently clear the ball to safety.

The Mustangs would have two more golden opportunities, one in regulation and the other during the first overtime. First, Shane Kibler dribbled in from the left wing and blasted a shot that beat the buzzer but not Rambler keeper Mike Gingras, who gobbled up the hard grounder.

In the extra session, Patrick Trenholm fired a low, hard shot that Gingras (10 saves) dove to collect.

Allen nearly won the game for the Ramblers in the closing seconds of the first extra session as his long shot from 35 yards out appeared to the naked eye to drop over Pelletier and into the goal. The entire Rambler bench rushed onto the field only to find out the ball had gone over the crossbar and nestled atop the netting on the back of the cage. Just as quickly as they ran on the field, the bench players rushed off.

“I think I was the only one that didn’t think it went in,” said Allen. “Then the team came running on the field and I was second-guessing myself.”

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