The Timbers made it a 4-point weekend last night at PGE Park, beating the Minnesota Thunder 2-1.

It was an effective Drew McAthy-Chad Bartlomé partnership that started up front and from the uptempo start Portland controlled most of the possession - so much so that Chris Agnello made a switch from a defensive midfield including Tom Poltl to a more attacking minded one with Alejandro Gutierrez after 27 minutes.

The Drew/Chad partnership drew the foul on 31' that led to the Timbers' opening goal. Alejandro Gutierrez calmly sweeping the penalty past Joe Warren for a 1-0 lead.

All was going well until right on half-time when Nate Knox picked up a free ball to beat Josh Saunders and make it 1-1.

The Timbers got what they deserved on 69' when Byron Alvarez hit the post after connecting with a Luke Kreamalmeyer cross, Troy Ready (who had replaced Bartlomé earlier) was on hand to slot the rebound home giving him his first goal for the Timbers and his first professional goal.

2-1 Timbers. A 4-point weekend. Lots to talk about later.

[Full Report]

Chris Agnello started the same back 4 as Friday, replaced Gutierrez with Poltl in midfield and started Chad Bartlomé and Drew McAthy up front.

The Timbers came out with a nice uptempo start, Drew McAthy heading wide left from Luke Kreamalmeyer's corner in the first minute and McAthy again almost getting on the end of a long Josh Saunders kick on 7'.

On 12' a fantastic run by Luke leaving 2 Thunder players in his wake and a ball across the box, but Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar could only slice his shot wide with the outside of his foot.

Warren had to save from Kreamalmeyer's 25 yd shot on 16' and on 18' Goodfellow was his tentative self again, not making sure his back header to Josh Saunders was strong enough and putting the all-yellow clad Timbers keeper in danger.

19', Bartlomé - McAthy - nearly getting Tom Poltl in, Warren coming out to kick clear. On 22' a push on McAthy set up a free kick 25 yds out centrally. Hugo's kick was deflected wide for the corner. Warren punched the corner out and another push on McAthy set up another free kick, this time Kreamalmeyer's direct kick was over.

At this stage the Thunder were flooded, the Timbers having all the possession. In my (OK, slightly skewed and often wrong) opinion Agnello decided that his conservative starting choice was no longer needed and that fact explains his substitution of Gutierrez for Poltl on 27'. Anyway, for whatever reason it was the right choice.

On 29' a lay off from a battling Drew McAthy set up Chad Bartlomé who shot just wide from the edge of the box.

A minute later it was the Drew/Chad double act again. Kudos to Drew McAthy who got between Thunder keeper Warren and the melee behind him, setting up Brett Branan to illegally challange Chad Bartlomé setting up Guti who, with shouts of "easy money" from this quarter, calmly stroked the penalty past Warren. O.N.E N.I.L.

Danger at the other end as Nsien left his leg behind, tripping Leo Gibson and setting up a free kick 20 yds out at the right edge of the Timbers box. Kiki Lara's shot went off the 5-man wall and over the bar.

Mike Randolph's 30 yd shot was deflected to Warren on 39' and on 45' a fantastic ball from Guti forward to McAthy forced Warren to come way, way off his line, control with his chest (and maybe a little bit of forearm??) and clear.

Then in injury time a stray pass (don't tell me. I didn't see and I don't want to know. No, really I don't want to know just in case it's Goodfellow again) went right to Nate Knox and the Thunder with the Seuss-ified name beat Saunders for the shock equilizer. 1-1 and a whistle.

Second half and McAthy shot wide on 46' and Troy Ready replaced an injured Bartlomé on 54'.

The man Ready almost made an immediate mark, hs header from Scot Thompson's cross from the right going just wide.

Paye replaced Lara, Byron Alvarez replaced Scot Thompson and Edwin Miranda replaced Hugo.

On 68' some (more) Guti magic in the right corner, playing with the ball under his foot and crossing for Drew McAthy to volley a few inches wide.

On 70' it was Luke Kreamalmeyer's turn to cross from the right, Byron hit the post and there was Ready to hit the ball home. 2-1. There's only one word for that. Magic Darts.

Ready's cross/shot on 72' hit the post, the ref should have given a corner after Warren hustled the rebound behind the goal.

On 75' the PGE Park turf probably came into play when Knox slipped suspiciously close to the turf atop the pitching mound area as he tore towards goal.

Goodfellow got a yellow for dissent on 83' and Tarley put the ball in the side netting on 85', the linesman calling the move offside. Agnello replaced Drew McAthy with Josh Brown and the only remaining action was a worrying clash that left Mike Randolph down hurt, before the final whistle went on the first (but not the last) Timbers win of the 2006 season.