With sixteen new members on this year's Wilmington Hammerheads USL Division 2 soccer team, it was hard to know what to expect coming out of the gates. Unfortunately, the Hammerheads have stumbled and fallen off the pace; with Saturday's 2-0 loss at Crystal Palace Baltimore, the Hammerheads are now 0-3 to start the 2008 season.

Gary Brooks got CPB on the board in the tenth minute making good on an assist from Bryan Harkin, and Matthew Mbuta's goal in the 23rd minute put the home team up 2-0. CPB is now 3-0 on the season and have yet to be scored upon. They have clearly taken advantage of the schedule which has not taken them away from their home turf at UMBC in the season's early stages.

The Hammers have lost both road games now by 2-0 scores. Their only home game was the team's best showing, as they fought back against the league's top ranked team, the Charlotte Eagles, before falling 3-2. On Saturday, the Hammerheads return home, looking for their first win of the season against the Harrisburg City Islanders (0-1-3), which are also looking for win #1. The Islanders are coming off a 1-0 loss to Charlotte, now 4-0, on Saturday.

-- Jesse Jones, CAPE FEAR SPORTS REPORT [2]
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