Perrin Barnes, Robbie Mertz show perfect chemistry in Riverhounds win over Detroit

Perrin Barnes and Robbie Mertz came into Saturday night’s game with only one goal between them on the season.

They left with a goal and assist each.

Barnes scored in the 37th minute and Mertz in the 66th minute off terrific passes from each other to help the Pittsbugh Riverhounds improve to 4-5-2 on the season with a 2-0 win over Detroit City FC.

A native of Aurora, Ill., Barnes, who is a defender, stepped up on a long cross from Mertz to head in the first goal of the game.

It was his first professional goal.

“It was great. I didn’t really know what to do, so I was like all right, I’ll just celebrate with the fans then,” Barnes said. “It was great, a really important goal and important win against Detroit, one of the better teams in our conference.”

It was then Mertz, the Upper St. Clair graduate, who tapped in a crossing feed from Barnes to give the Riverhounds a comfortable two-goal cushion.

Mertz, a new father, welcomed his new son Callahan Lewis Smith into the world Thursday with his wife at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.

“First night was definitely not a lot of sleep. Last night, my wife was trying,” Mertz said postgame. “It’s been something I will never forget and two of the best days of my life.”

Barnes and Mertz make for a good team off the field as well.

“I came to training yesterday, straight from the hospital, and had to go back to get all of my gear at our traning facility in Montour, and Perrin was kind enough to go pick it up for me,” Mertz said.

Nothing has been easy this season for coach Bob Lilley’s squad, which enjoyed a multi-goal win just once before Saturday’s impressive offensive output at Highmark Stadium.

“We wanted to be efficient when we scored the second goal and keep the shutout, and when we get a lead, the hope is to build on it,” Lilley said postgame. “It was a critical game that we needed.”

The Riverhounds maintained momentum in the first half with the majority of possession and ball control on their end of the field.

There was no real pressure put on goalkeeper Eric Dick throughout the first 45, with only a few shot attempts in the half.

Dick faced 35 shots on goal in the first 10 games of the season, but saw only one shot Saturday and it wasn’t on target.

“I think generally we’re always one of the better defensive teams,” Barnes said. “If they can’t get a good entry pass in the midfield or good long ball pressure, then it makes it easier for us defenders.”

In the 18th minute, action started to heat up on the South Side.

The Hounds got multiple corner kick opportunities that they were not able to capitalize on. In the 20th minute Jackson Walti had a shot on goal that was stopped by goalkeeper Carlos Herrera.

“If we raise our goal production, we will get a lot of results,” Lilley said. “We strung a lot of passes together and didn’t force anything, moving the ball and had them chasing for a stretch.”

It was a busy night for Herrera of Detroit City FC (4-3-5), who was constantly peppered by shots and had limited defensive help. In total for the game, the Hounds had 10 total shots and five that were put on target.

The Riverhounds are back in action next Saturday on the road against Indy Eleven.