VENTURA, California — The San Francisco Glens returned to the win column last Thursday with a gutsy 4-3 victory over the Ventura County Fusion.

The unluckiest club in the USL League Two entering the match, the Glens had secured just one triumph in 12 contests despite holding the lead in all but four of them. Making matters worse, San Francisco was riding a six-game losing streak.

But the Glens rallied around midfielder Diego Lopez who scored two goals, winger Rei Dorwart (one goal), and forward Carlos Trujeque Leal (one goal). After racing out to a seemingly insurmountable 4-1 advantage in the 55th minute only to see the Fusion close within 4-3 with 13 minutes left in regulation, it was certainly plausible to anticipate an all-too-familiar result.

However, this time the Glens refused to fold. Though San Francisco was only to suit up 15 total players, the lack of depth actually worked in their favor, as several players made their debut and effectively logged major minutes, including Josh Dabora, whose father David once starred for the Glens in their 1990 run to the National Amateur Cup final.

Perhaps most importantly, Glens head coach Javier Ayala-Hil himself came off the bench in the second half as player-coach. The former Cal star and pro midfielder closed out the game and ensured that San Francisco would hold on to the lead at long last through 90 gritty minutes.

The win not only gave the Glens three valuable points on the road, but it spoiled the Fusion’s hopes for a division title. A win would have drawn them even on points with current leader FC Golden State Force.