Huckerby comfortable with Earthquakes

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Throughout its brief history, MLS has been littered with foreign imports who either struggled to settle in, or never adapted at all. Six games into his MLS career, it's safe to say that San Jose Earthquakes' midfielder Darren Huckerby doesn't fall into either one of those categories.

The Englishman continued his brilliant start to his stateside adventure, scoring a priceless game-winning goal in San Jose's 2-1 win over Kansas City before 10,089 fans at Buck Shaw Stadium. It was Huckerby's third goal of the season, one that showed just how much belief there is within the team as the season heads into its stretch drive.

With the clock winding down and the score tied, midfielder Francisco Lima crossed the ball towards Ryan Johnson, who was stationed near the right hand corner of the six-yard box. Realistically speaking, there was no way of knowing that Johnson would win a clean header, and Huckerby could have been forgiven for taking a wait and see approach.

But that strategy didn't figure into Huckerby's thinking at all.

"I knew the ball was coming in from Lima, and I just knew that [Johnson] was going to win the ball, I just knew it," said Huckerby. "So I gambled. It was just a question of if he was going to put it in the right area, and he did. I ended up just having a little tap in, so I really have Ryan to thank for that."

Huckerby has shown that aggressive attitude from the moment he arrived in San Jose and the first half of Saturday's game was no exception as he tormented Wizards' defender Jack Jewsbury so much that Kansas City head coach Curt Onalfo was compelled to move Jewsbury into midfield to start the second half and move Michael Harrington back into defense.

The move did blunt Huckerby's influence to a degree, as the Wizards climbed back into the game courtesy of Davy Arnaud's 64th minute equalizer. But Huckerby was soon back on the offensive, as he resumed his attacking forays on the left wing and ultimately grabbed the hero's mantle.

So how has Huckerby succeeded where so many others have failed? For manager Frank Yallop the explanation is simple.

"I think [Huckerby] is really enjoying his football to be honest," said Yallop. "You look at him off the field and around the building, and especially on it now, he's just flying."

But when the question was posed to Huckerby, it's clear that his success goes a bit deeper than that.

"I came over here with an open mind, and I came here to work hard and win games," said Huckerby. "And the team has taken to me. They've made me one of them straight away, and it feels great."

That kind of togetherness has been a trait of San Jose since the beginning, but what has fueled the Quakes' revival in recent weeks is the massive overhaul the team's attack has undergone. Huckerby, Lima, Scott Sealy and Arturo Alvarez have given the Quakes an attack to be respected, if not feared. And it was that ability to kick the attacking tempo up a notch that keyed their latest victory.

Simply put, San Jose would not have won this game two months ago and as the game headed into the latter stages the script certainly harkened back to earlier in the season. The Quakes had by far the better of play in the first half, and deservedly went ahead when Alvarez nodded home Ronnie O'Brien's cross in the 43rd minute.

But the half-time introduction of Wizards' midfielder Carlos Marinelli changed the complexion of the game, and after owning the first 20 minutes of the second half, the visitors deservedly equalized through Arnaud.

Yet rather than crumble the Quakes regained the attacking initiative, and Huckerby's goal was just reward for 20 minutes of sustained pressure.

"I think we've grown, I really do," O'Brien said. "I think the result tonight has shown how much we've grown. But the players who have come in have really helped us out. It's fun to play here right now."

Especially with San Jose's newest import exceeding everyone's expectations.