MATCH RECAP: BUFFALO 2, ERIE 1

FC Buffalo picked up its first win of the season with relentless effort through a 2-1 win that saw the home team down a man for 80-plus minutes on Friday night at Robert E. Rich All-High Stadium.

The Wolves lead 2-0 at the break thanks a 4th minute goal from Johnny McBeth and a 30th minute marker from Ian McGrath. Sandwiched between was a pair of yellow cards issues to Kendell McFayden, and the Wolves went 80 minutes with ten men.

Chris Walter and David Acuna Camacho picked up assists on the goals.

McBeth, who scored after returning from Scotland where he was mourning his late grandmother, was named Man of the Match.

“It’s been a difficult week. I didn’t train last week with the team,” McBeth said. “I spoke to my mom and my dad in Scotland. They told me 100 percent effort and to give everything for the team. I’d like to dedicate my goal to my grandma. It was amazing to come back and get a goal and settle in again. We’re all in this together as a team. It’s such a good feeling to get the result.”

FCB head coach Brendan Murphy was also excited about McBeth’s performance and the win.

“I’m so happy for Johnny — he’s such a great person, an unbelievable individual.  He raises the level of everybody around him, and he fought through a lot of adversity today. And getting that goal early in the game, that’s exactly what we needed in this game. It couldn’t have been a better situation for us, two minutes into the game, and the fact that we got out early allowed us to be able to deal with the red card and still press and get another on a corner kick.”