Atlético Ottawa ended their eight-match winless skid Saturday with an energetic 3-1 win over Cavalry FC in front of a stellar home crowd at TD Place.

Mista’s side saw six changes from their draw with Pacific FC last weekend, with recently-cleared defenders Drew Beckie and Vashon Neufville joining previously suspended Ryan Telfer in a fresh-faced group. Second-placed Cavalry, meanwhile, switched out of their back three system returning to a 4-2-3-1 featuring former Ottawa captain Ben Fisk on the left side.

Ottawa kicked things off rather unexpectedly at two minutes through defensive midfielder Ben McKendry and defender-turned-goalscorer Beckie McKendry ended up behind the backline on a counter-attack, only to spray the ball to striker Brian Wright whose shot attempt was parried straight onto captain Beckie’s foot and into the net. It was an emotional moment for the captain, who made his return from a health layoff in emphatic fashion.

Ottawa looked driven to end their winless run while Cavalry, starved of a win in three matches of their own, showed their teeth with snappy passing and high octane possession football. Midfielder Victor Loturi capitalized on that pressure in the 18th minute with a tidy off-the-post hit following a defensive mistake from Nyal Higgins.

Cavalry was in control of possession for most of the first half, taking an astounding 70 percent of the ball, while Ottawa looked to spring long balls to a poaching Wright. That get-in-behind instinct led to Shaw’s penalty in the 38th minute when Antoine Coupland and sent the striker in on goal, only for ‘keeper Marco Carducci to end the breakaway by clearing out his legs in the 18-yard box. Shaw converted the penalty, retaking Ottawa’s lead through halftime.

Chances teased at Cavalry’s now 3-4-3-framed attack in the second half as Ottawa’s staunch defensive shape began to show cracks.

Ottawa scored another in the 72nd minute through Wright following a backline miscue that put the striker in all alone on Carducci again. He perfectly placed a shot in the bottom right corner for his fourth goal of the season.

The Cavs continued to probe and were rewarded with a penalty in the 75th minute – their first of the season – when Farsi was taken down along the six-yard box. Sergio Camargo’s spot-kick was saved, as was the follow-up, dramatically by ‘keeper Dylon Powley who sprawled to the left and the right to send TD Place into a frenzy – energy that brought Otletti over the line for the win.

Saturday was Ottawa’s first win since August 14, the club’s home opener.

BOX SCORE

Goals

2′ — Drew Beckie (Atlético Ottawa)
18′ — Victor Loturi (Cavalry FC)
39’ (pen) – Malcolm Shaw (Atlético Ottawa)
72’ – Brian Wright (Atlético Ottawa)

Discipline

38′ — Yellow: Marco Carducci (Cavalry FC)
59′ — Yellow: Ben McKendry (Atlético Ottawa)
59′ — Yellow: Drew Beckie (Atlético Ottawa)
62′ — Yellow: David Norman Jr. (Cavalry FC)
85′ — Yellow: Jose Escalante (Cavalry FC)