Hounds knocked from playoff chase, outclassed by Red Bulls II, 2-0

Despite a few chances in a the second half, the Riverhounds were completely outplayed by the USL’s defending champion New York Red Bulls II, losing 2-0 at Montclair State University in New Jersey on Saturday afternoon.
New York’s midfield were just way too much for the Hounds, keeping the ball for long stretches and making the visitors chase much of the game. NYRBII ended up with a huge edge in possession (62%-38%), and badly out shot Pittsburgh 27-8 (7-0 shots on target).
The Red Bulls II’s pressure continued for long stretches of the match, and finally paid off in the 25th minute as a corner from the right was headed into his own net by the Riverhounds’ Abuchi Obinwa as he challenged Junior Flemmings at the near post.
Pittsburgh’s  Kenroy Howell had a shot blocked in the penalty area for the Riverhounds’ only good look in the first half, and Corey Hertzog also had a shot charged down from 25 yards in the 59th minute, but the Red Bulls II continued to carry most of the play in the second half.
Flemmings was denied with a good low save by Perrella on the hour-mark, while Florian Valot curled a free kick over the crossbar in the 72nd minute. Pittsburgh’s Romeo Parkes had a chance in the 76th minute, but sent his shot off target from the top of the penalty area, while Dan Metzger forced a great tipped save from Perrella two minutes later as the Red Bulls II looked to add an insurance goal.
Valot then put the game away in stoppage time for the Red Bulls II, however, as he tucked home Dilly Duka’s low cross into an empty net to seal a fifth consecutive victory at MSU Soccer Park in the club’s home finale.
The Hounds best chance of the game pretty much summed up the team’s season, and this game. Chevy Walsh connected on a header chance by the far post. The ball lined right toward the open goal area, except that Hounds forward Corey Hertzog was standing right on the goal line, and tried to redirect it into goal — instead of getting out of the way of the shot — and he hit the ball under the cross bar and it bounced out of goal area.
With its second consecutive road loss, the Hounds finish the month of September with a woeful 0-2-3 record, and have almost no chance to claim a playoff spot, as they remain in 11th place in the standings with 35 points.
LINE-UPS
Starting XI for Riverhounds:
GK – Matt Perrella
D – Taylor Washington, Gale Agbossoumonde, Tobi Adewole, Joe Greenspan,
MF – Kevin Kerr, Victor Souto, Abuchi Obinwa, Romeo Parkes, Kenroy Howell  
F – Corey Hertzog
Reserves: Brendan Alfery (G), Danny Earls, Ben Fitzpatrick, Shannon Gomez, Stephen Okai, Jack Thompson, Chevy Walsh
NY Red Bulls II starting XI:
Evan Louro(G), David Najem, Hassan Ndam, Jordan Scarlett, Noah Powder, Dan Metzger, Andrew Tinari, Vincent Bezecourt, Florian Valot, Junior Flemmings, Stefano Bonomo