It was about as close to a perfect a night as Lexington SC could have drawn up.

There was the thunderbolt that opened the scoring from Joe Hafferty that settled everyone’s nerves, the largest crowd in the club’s short history at its new soccer-specific venue, and a strong defensive display that earned goalkeeper Logan Ketterer his 30th regular season shutout in his return to the Championship.

Most importantly of all, the hosts walked away with a 2-0 victory against Hartford Athletic and a winning start to life in the USL Championship.

“We said before we walked in, ‘go reward yourself with the work that you've done, you know, and make sure that the fans leave here with more hope, more joy than they came with,’” said Lexington Head Coach Terry Boss. “So, if we felt like we did that, the win would follow, and I hope that they did that tonight.”

• MAKING AN ENTRANCE: One of the club’s numerous offseason arrivals, Hafferty’s ninth-minute goal – his first in the Championship, and officially the first of the league campaign – was sublime. After a corner was half-cleared by Hartford, the center back struck a half-volley from 30 yards sweetly into the top-right corner of the net, thrilling the crowd.

• CLAMPING DOWN: Facing a potentially dangerous Hartford attack led by young forward Mamadou Dieng and winger Michee Ngalina, Lexington steered the defensive ship expertly. While the visitors threatened a couple of times from set pieces, they were unable to connect cleanly in open play. Ketterer wasn’t forced into a save during the 90 minutes, while Hartford registered only nine touches in the Lexington penalty area as they were constantly funneled into dead ends.

• COUP DE GRACE: The fact remains a one-goal lead is always tenuous, which meant Eliot Goldthorp’s late insurance goal – celebrated with his family in the stands – provided the cushion the hosts were looking for on a slick counterattack with 11 minutes to go. It capped an outstanding all-around display, one that should have fans enthused about what is to come this season.

For a club looking to assert a new identity after last year’s false dawn – where big expectations in preseason were met by disappointment in missing the League One Playoffs – it couldn’t have been a better reintroduction to the 5,025 fans that braved a chilly night for Lexington’s debut in the second tier.

For a group of players that only came together in January – of the 18-player gameday squad, only Cam Lancaster appeared for the side in 2024 – it also provided some confidence the project they’ve signed onto can achieve long-term success.

“It’s been a really tough preseason, tough in a lot of good ways,” said Goldthorp. “We’ve been through a lot as a group, and I think in going through a lot, you learn a lot about each other, and you really develop. I think that’s shown tonight, we’ve shown a lot of grit there, and just overall elated to win in our first game.”

There will be bigger tests to come – including next Saturday night away against an Orange County SC side that put up its own impressive display to open the campaign – but Saturday was as ideal a start as anyone at the club could have hoped for as it builds a new identity.

“The main objective all week, and since I've got here, is be us,” said Boss. “And if we can be us for 90 minutes, I feel really confident that we'll like where we're at the end of the 90 minutes.”

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