DOBSON — In what could possibly be a preview of a late-round playoff match-up, Surry Central ended with a 0-0 tie against non-conference rival Forbush last night in high school soccer action.

Both teams are ranked in the top five of the Eurosport.com North Carolina 2A soccer rankings and the game played out like a couple of heavyweight prize fighters sizing each other up in the first round of a title fight.

Central took the role of aggressor while Forbush, a physically larger team than the Golden Eagles, dug deep in its own half of the field and waited for opportunities.

“It was definitely a playoff atmosphere intensity wise,” Central coach Blake Roth said. “They are a bigger team than we are and they used that to their advantage. They laid back on us and let us apply most of the pressure which we were able to do fairly well but when they’ve got so many in the box and a good goalie to back it up it’s hard to make things happen.”

The Eagles were without offensive lightning rod Bernardo Leandro, who sat due to a knee injury. Central managed a couple of close chances, the first of which came when a ball centered across the middle of the Forbush box found the forehead of Ed Lira, who shot at the keeper but was just barely denied.

Later, Edwin Alonso slipped behind the Forbush defense and tried to chip the ball over the advancing keeper, but just caught the top side of the crossbar.

“We had our opportunities and yeah I think we should have capitalized,” Roth said. “We were playing for the win and I think Forbush was playing a little bit for the tie. It was high intensity but because of injuries and other matters we only played 13 players so I was proud of the boys for putting in a hard 80 minutes. Truthfully this is how the game should have gone. They are well coached and they knew what they could and could not get away with. It’s hard to play to any advantage on that and the same goes for them.”

The tie brings Central’s record to 0-0-2, with it’s only other result a 2-2 tie with West Forsyth last Monday.

The Golden Eagles will have two more solid non-conference opponents in North Forsyth Wednesday and Reagan Monday, both on the road.

“We aren’t just playing 2A or 1A schools, we went and looked for the talent in the 4A,” Roth said. “Hopefully that will help us come playoff time and if we have to take one on the chin, so be it.”