It took until the 82nd minute for the Eddies to force Atlanta keeper Joe Nasco into a meaningful save. Just two minutes after coming in as a late sub, FCE teenager Hanson Boakai won a physical battle with Atlanta’s Kwadwo Poku at the top of the box, and then left-footed a curling shot towards the top corner that forced Nasco into a fingertip save.

Watson, who was one of two Eddies on the MVP ballot (the now-departed Chris Nurse was the other) got enough votes from the league’s eight head coaches, who select the season-ending all-star team.

Miller joked that it was “handbags, lipstick and eyeshadow,” but it was clear the emotions weren’t being kept in check on the field. Maybe the biggest surprise is that no one was sent off, though Eddie Corey Hertzog was stretchered off late in game after being scythed to the turf by Milton Blanco, who saw yellow. Hertzog has a knock on his hip.

“I don’t think too much about it. Obviously, it was a bad challenge. And he hasn’t apologized to me. Maybe I’ll get an apology on Sunday. Maybe, if I do, then I might lay off of him a bit. If not, we’ll see what happens. Maybe I’ll get Nursie (hard-edged midfielder Chris Nurse) to sort things out.”

But Miller’s harsh critique of his club wasn’t reflected in the NASL Player of the Week vote, as Canadian striker Michael Cox got the nod for his two-goal effort for the Eddies.

The Eddies are now just three points back of the NASL-leading Carolina RailHawks as they hit the midway mark of the NASL spring season with a 3-0 lead over the Silverbacks in front of 1,161 fans at Clarke Stadium.

But, the Eddies got two second-half goals in the space of 93 seconds, then held on to beat the Silverbacks by a 2-1 count. The win saw FC Edmonton spring off the league basement, ahead of the Silverbacks.