Orange County SC hasn't had the best luck lately, especially on the road. So, against another Western Conference team battling for a playoff spot, fans were hoping that the coaching staff would adjust the lineup in Friday's match against FC Tulsa.

Thankfully, there were a few mix-ups to the starting 11. Cameron Dunbar and Chris Hegardt started out wide, while Colin Shutler returned between the posts.

FIRST HALF:

Hegardt started things off with a quick turn, pushing into the final third and drawing a foul, earning OCSC a dangerous free kick just outside the box. Markkus Nakkim stepped up to take the shot, but the attempt was well wide of the net.

Early in the match, it was clear that the County Boys were hungry to display their attacking prowess after last week's abysmal performance. For the first time in recent memory, the entire squad was playing with a singular mindset, and with their passing, it was easy for Orange County to keep control of the match and take shots.

The defense was also absolutely on top of things, clearing away FC Tulsa's few chances in County's box. Unfortunately, the opposition was just as good at stopping OCSC from finding their magic moment.

Youngster Ben Norris had the first fantastic chance to score in the 17th minute. Kyle Scott switched it over to Owen Lambe on the right. Lambe found Dunbar making a run toward the touchline. Then Dunbar passed it to Norris in the box, who had his man beat and a ton of space to fire towards goal. He tried to sneak it in at the near post, but unfortunately, the shot went right into the arms of goalkeeper Johan Penaranda.

A couple of minutes later, Tulsa had their own golden opportunity from a free kick. Diogo Pachecho crossed the ball into the box, and it landed at the feet of Andrew Booth in the center, but he sent his shot wide.

Ryan Doghman was also back for the first half and showed once again how crucial of a piece he is to Orange County's outside strength. In the 22nd minute, he received the ball from Shutler and flew down the line, beating his defender easily. While the moment didn't turn into a big chance, it was a sight for sore eyes to witness how dangerous Doghman can be when healthy.

In the 34th minute, Andrew Fox sent a brilliant ball all the way down the pitch to Dunbar, who ran past the defensive line to collect it. He dribbled into the box and fired off a rocket toward the near top corner, but Penaranda had the near post covered once again and made an outstanding save to stop the boys in orange and black from gaining a lead in the first half, which came to an end at 0-0.

SECOND HALF:

It wasn't a perfect first half, but there was a massive improvement in the offensive and midfield performance than the last time they stepped onto a pitch. Just in the first 45 minutes, the County Boys had more shots, and shots on target, than in the entirety of their match last week.

One change during the break was Ryan Flood coming in for Doghman. One can only hope that his early departure is just Paul Hardyman being cautious in easing Doghman back into the heat of things as he is recovering from injury.

The moment that will haunt the team for weeks came a few minutes into the second half after Dunbar drew a foul a few yards to the right of the box. Lambe sent in a perfect cross, and Ethan Zubak jumped up to connect the header. It was on target, but Penaranda miraculously stopped the ball from crossing the line. It was deflected back down, and Zubak took another shot that was saved again before the ball was cleared away.

Orange County wasn't done, though. They were able to bring the ball immediately back into the box, where Nakkim tried to head it in as well, but it was saved for the third time in quick succession.

Tulsa almost had the perfect counterattack after thwarting the quickfire attempts from OCSC. Penaranda quickly passed down the pitch to Pacheco, who would have had an empty half to dribble it toward Shutler. Luckily, Scott made it back to clear the danger. Had Pacheco connected with the pass, Tulsa would have had a guaranteed goal.

After the intensity of the first few minutes of the second half, it was a defensive stalemate for the remainder of the match. Neither side allowed for any dangerous chances on goal to challenge the goalkeepers, and the match ended scoreless.

OVERVIEW:

Although Orange County SC couldn't find the back of the net against FC Tulsa, it was still their best performance on the road in a long time. It was the first time since June 22nd that the County Boys walked away with a result away from home, largely thanks to the passing chemistry between the midfield and defense that allowed Orange County to retain control of the match.

Chris Hegardt, Kyle Scott, Owen Lambe, Ben Norris, and Ryan Doghman were the standouts of the match, creating some fantastic chances and ushering the ball into the final third repeatedly throughout the whole 90 minutes. However, this ultimately was a complete team performance, and almost everyone on that pitch for Orange County had a moment worthy of praise.

Obviously, it is tough to be excited when the team now has three matches in a row without finding the back of the net. However, if the boys in orange and black can keep up the team cohesion they showcased on Friday night, then the rest of the season may have some hope.

The best opportunity to get the goals flowing again and a much-needed three points will be next Saturday, August 17th, at 7:00pm PST, when Orange County SC is back at home and faces off against El Paso Locomotive FC.