Riverhounds earn resounding 5-0 victory to end long scoreless, winless skids

It’s been a while since “Chelsea Dagger” blared out of the Highmark Stadium speakers, but the Pittsburgh Riverhounds players put their goal song on repeat Saturday night.

After going six games and going nearly 600 minutes of playing time without scoring, the Hounds put together a barrage of goals to bury Oakland Roots SC, 5-0, to emphatically snap a 10-game winless streak.

Junior Etou scored twice, and Robbie Mertz, Sean Suber and Kenardo Forbes had a goal each to help the Hounds (4-9-6) win their first game since May 1 and knock off a Roots side that had won seven of their last nine in USL Championship play.

The five goals matched the output they produced in their first nine home games combined.

“I wish you could spend them differently than five at once, but it was good to have that release,” Hounds coach Bob Lilley said. “I thought the guys played well in the first half and stayed after it in the second half.

“The guys stuck with it, and I’m happy for them. It’s been weighing on all of us for a while.”

Etou broke a drought of 585 goalless minutes by finishing off a play that was spearheaded by Mertz.

Mertz made a long run, split two defenders and put in an accurate pass to Bradley Sample in the middle of the box.

Sample chipped the ball over to Etou, who picked it up in stride and buried a shot into the top-right corner.

An elated Etou jumped into the stands after the goal.

“The fans have a personal interest in every game and continue to come even when we’ve been losing, so for me after the goal I just wanted to celebrate with the fans,” Etou said.

Then, Mertz converted on a penalty kick after Oakland was whistled for a handball in the box. Mertz used a stutter step to get Oakland keeper Paul Blanchette leaning and struck the ball into the middle of the net.

Suber’s goal came in the 45th minute and was the first of his professional career. He was on the receiving end of another nice passing play from Mertz and Sample.

It came one week after he made a late miscue that resulted in a goal for Monterey Bay in second half stoppage time in a 1-0 loss.

“I wanted to come in and make a statement this week and bounce back from last week, and I’m glad I could get the goal to do that,” Suber said.

Kenardo Forbes came on as a sub at halftime, and he scored a goal on a header seven minutes into the second half.

Etou added his second of the night after a misplay in the back end put Blanchette in a tough spot. Blanchette got his hands on the ball, but it fell to Etou, who put it in to secure the first two-goal game of his professional career.

After the goal, Blanchette immediately took off his shoes and requested a new pair, which were retrieved from the locker room.

The Hounds did not allow a shot on goal, and Oakland only mustered two shots the entire night.

Next Saturday, the Hounds will play the third of four consecutive home games when they host Hartford Athletic. The match is at 8 p.m., an hour later than usual, because it is being televised on ESPN 2.