SAN DIEGO – Reno 1868 FC dealt another blow to San Diego Loyal SC’s playoff hopes as the visitors took a 3-1 victory at Torero Stadium on Saturday behind a goal and assist from Tucker Bone.

With both teams looking for important points in their respective playoff races, each got early looks on goal as San Diego’s Elijah Martin cut in from the left side in the second minute and fired a low shot that was saved by 1868 FC goalkeeper Ben Beaury and Reno’s Kevin Partida bent a good shot from 25 yards that was gathered by SD Loyal goalkeeper Austin Guerrero.

The visitors began to gain the upper hand in attack, though, and took the lead in the 24th minute when a pass up the right flank found Tucker Bone, who cut inside his defender and then delivered a slide-rule cross to the far post where Foster Langsdorf had peeled away from his defender and finished first time.

1868 FC’s Corey Hertzog almost doubled the lead five minutes before halftime as a good run and cross from the left side by Christiano Francois met the forward’s run to the near post, but Hertzog’s flicked header narrowly slid wide of the right upright.

SD Loyal looked to pull level as the second half began and almost did so in the 57th minute as Collin Martin picked up possession at the top of the penalty area and fired a turning shot to the bottom-right corner of the net that was well saved by Beaury. Five minutes later, however, a counterattack launched forward saw Langsdorf’s heavy touch allow Guerrero to launch a clearance from just inside his penalty area, but the ball came straight to Bone, who took one touch to control and then fired from 30 yards into the open net as Guerrero was unable to recover.

The tempo of the game remained upbeat as SD Loyal pulled a goal back in the 66th minute when Martin threaded a pass through that found Carlos Alvarez, who quickly turned and fired a low shot to the right corner that was just beyond Beaury’s diving effort. San Diego’s Francis Atuahene then almost provided an equalizer with 16 minutes to go as he got into the left side of the Reno penalty area but saw his shot slide just wide of the far post.

Reno put the game away with five minutes to go, however, as Hertzog played in Aidan Apodaca with the SD Loyal defense stretched, and Apodaca rounded Guerrero and finished past the last defender into the net to make it three. SD Loyal’s Charlie Adams almost struck with two minutes to go as he forced a good save by Beaury off a free kick from the right, while Francois was denied a fourth for the visitors by a good save from Guerrero, but Reno had already done enough to take victory and another important three points.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Tucker Bone, Reno 1868 FC – Bone had one goal, one assist and recorded three shots and three key passes in a excellent attacking display that also saw him complete 26 of 34 passes overall.