Whenever a striker plays, however he contributes to his side’s performance, it can feel incomplete if they don’t manage to find the back of the net.

You only needed to see the reaction of New Mexico United’s Greg Hurst to scoring his first goal in more than a month – and his first goal at Isotopes Park since May – to understand why.

“I think just because it’s felt like forever since I scored,” he said on Wednesday night. “I think it's only been, like, five games before, but for a striker, you want to score more than that. When I saw the ball hit the back of the net for the first time tonight, and then also knowing how important it was because, I think as soon as we scored that first goal, there was only one team [that was] going to win the game.”

New Mexico’s 3-1 victory against Sacramento Republic FC was a game in which the hosts felt they had something to prove.

For Hurst individually, it was the opportunity to go up against the best defense in the league and find a way to come out on top. He did so in sparkling fashion, using his timing and awareness to create spaces for teammates to feed him for a pair of second-half opportunities that resulted in his first two-goal performance since April.

Depending on how you look at it, he also created his own luck. In the 66th minute, with United riding high after Abdi Mohamed’s opener five minutes earlier, he broke in on goal with only Republic FC goalkeeper Danny Vitiello to beat. Vitiello got a piece of his initial shot, but the ball fell loose to allow the Scotsman to put home the second opportunity. His second of the night eight minutes later, meanwhile, was taken as clean as a whistle, a sharp first touch setting up a lifted left-footed finish for his 11th goal of the season.

“That’s why we do what we do. Because at the very end, when you’re victorious, it’s worth it.”

Quill’s emphasis of the importance of homefield advantage goes back five years. When he led North Texas SC to the inaugural USL League One title in 2019, it was with a team that finished top of the regular season standings and then posted shutouts in each of its postseason wins on home turf to lift the trophy.

Alex Tambakis’ bid for a clean sheet in New Mexico’s net got spoiled in stoppage time by Sacramento’s Sebastian Herrera on Wednesday night, but it couldn’t take the shine off the second-half display United put in to earn its 10th home victory of the season.

Facing its biggest rival for top spot, United came through, adding to the belief if the team keeps its poise, there will be even more to come.

“I think a lot of people were probably watching us tonight to see if we really had what it takes,” said Hurst. “And I think we proved that we can go toe-to-toe with the best in the league and come out on top. I think for everyone, the confidence is higher again. But, we have to come back up again on Sunday, and then the next game.

“It doesn’t stop for us.”