It was a frustrating week for the Dawson County High School soccer program.

 After a Feb. 16 game against Gainesville was postponed to a date not yet announced, the team’s Feb. 20 contest at Flowery Branch couldn’t have started any worse.

The Tigers allowed a goal 28 seconds into the game against the Falcons en route to a 3-0 defeat.

“We started really flat,” Head Coach Derek Waters said. “We started kind of slow and I don’t know exactly what led to that. Our guys kind of seemed a little bit flat, a little off, not quite on their edge early on as far as even when we were warming up, and then we started the game like that.

“That’s hard to change the moral of the team when you give up such an easy goal, and it’s really hard to bounce back from that.”

The first Flowery Branch (3-2-1) offensive attack didn’t seem like much, but the Falcons managed to get a shot off that slowly rolled into the opposite corner of the net for the 1-0 advantage.

Despite the early goal which, according to Waters, was rather uneventful, Dawson County (1-2) was able to settle down and held the Falcons scoreless until the latter portions of the second half.

“It took a little while to get going,” Waters said. “After that early goal, we eventually about midway through the first half, we kind of settled in and started having a few more positive things.

“We were able to actually build the ball up the field and put together a few attempts at an attack on goal. And through the beginning of the second half, we were able to maintain play. Played a little bit better defensively, but still just got a long ways to go as far as building chemistry as a team.”

The game got away from the Tigers over a three-minute stretch in the second half. After the Falcons scored with 17 minutes remaining to take a 2-0 lead, a Dawson County foul in the box gave Flowery Branch a chance at a penalty kick.

The Falcons took advantage, converting the penalty for the 3-0 win.

“(Flowery Branch) is one of those teams that’s really great to play,” said Waters about challenging his team against quality opponents. “Especially early on at this point, just kind of as a gauge to see where we’re at…obviously came up short tonight.”

The Tigers faced Union County at home Feb. 27 but results were not available as of press time. The team will host West Hall at 7:30 p.m. March 2.