COURTLAND-Trailing 3-0, Southampton Academy came back in the second half to tie rival Fuqua School 4-4 in a Virginia Commonwealth Conference soccer game Thursday.

The tie was costly for the Raiders, whose record is 4-5-1. Craig New, who scored a second-half goal, broke his arm in a collision with Fuqua goalie Mahlon Felton. Tim Chrysostomou, who scored two goals in the second half, was run from the game with a red card when he verbally retaliated at a Fuqua player. By earning a red card, he will have to sit out the Raiders’ next game at Isle of Wight Academy on Tuesday.

Fuqua opened the scoring in the first half when Stuart Carilli tipped one past SA goalie Andrew Edwards. Fuqua’s Clay Johnson sent an unassisted bullet from the right side past Edwards for a 2-0 lead.

With one minute left in the half, Carilli nailed a &uot;worm-burner&uot; into the net to put the Falcons up 3-0.

Southampton Academy also had its chances in the first half but could not convert.

&uot;The first half, we just missed opportunities and let our heads hang low,&uot; said Jamie Weist, Southampton Academy head coach.

The Raiders broke the ice and set the tone for the rest of the game within the first minute of the second half. Tim Chrysostomou beat Felton on a crossing shot to the left to cut the Fuqua lead to 3-1.

&uot;That (first goal) was a game-changer, no doubt about it. It really just lifted the spirits of the whole team and they believed,&uot; Weist said.

About a minute later, Fuqua countered when Carilli knocked one in off a rebound off a SA defender who was in the goal box covering for Edwards, who had left the goal on an earlier play and could not get back in time.

The Raiders, though, continued to press on offense the rest of the game and scored three straight to force the tie. Both teams also ramped up the physical play.

New scored on a picture-perfect header off a throw in by Robert Marks.

Tim Crysostomou then scored off a corner kick by his brother, Drey Crysostomou. Tim Crysostomou added the fourth goal on a crossing shot to the left. Right after the score he was red-carded.

&uot;The second half we capitalized on those opportunities and played with much more intensity,&uot; Weist said. &uot;They stepped it up and that’s what they needed to do.&uot;

SA is tied for third in the VCC out of six teams.

&uot;We are a game or two away from breaking into the upper echelon. All of our games have been fairly close, like this one, so when it comes down to tournament time, it’s just going to be who comes and plays with the most intensity,&uot; Weist said.

Fuqua beat SA 5-2 earlier in the season.