Three matches into the inaugural professional season for Savannah Clovers FC has produced three different results for head coach David Proctor’s club. A 1-1 draw on April 1 at Memorial Stadium was seen by more than 2,500 fans on hand at Memorial Stadium. It was a moral victory and an actual draw.

One week later, the Clovers lost 1-0 to Gold Star FC Detroit in a tough game with bad weather. So, despite proving more than capable, SCFC was winless.

That changed on Friday (April 14) in Orlando against Club De Lyon FC. The Clovers overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit, scoring two goals in the final 22 minutes of the NISA league contest. 

Andrew Barrowman’s 79th minute penalty kick goal (his second of the season) tied the game with less than 14 minutes to go. Forward Joel Bunting scored the game-winner in the 83rd minute when he soared high above would-be defenders to knock home a game-winning header off of a towering throw-in lofted perfectly by Mikal Greene. Savannah held on from there, winning 2-1 in a matchup of two first-year NISA league members.

For his game header heroics, Bunting is Connect’s Clover of the Week.

The 25-year-old Charleston native, Bunting played collegiately at USC-Upstate and professionally with his hometown club, Charleston Battery. He, like every other Clover, joined the club this season.

“It has been amazing. It’s an honor to be a part of the first ever professional (soccer) team in Savannah,” he said during an April 11 phone call with Connect prior to the game in Orlando later that week. “But with that being said, it is a new team from top to bottom including the coaching staff, so there has been a learning curve, but I think we’ve already learned a lot about ourselves. Within the team, we see the quality in each other already.”

“We felt like we were the better team (against Detroit FC) so that was a tough one,” Bunting said. “For us, it’s just about coming together as a team right now.”

“We think – We are pretty sure (we’re) at the start of something really special. I think the Clovers … in Savannah could be special thanks to the fans. We hope to be here years from now, but I want to take care of this year first. Hopefully that starts on Friday in Orlando.”

It did. Bunting and the Clovers will enjoy an off week now before a rematch with Gold Star FC Detroit at home on Saturday, April 29 at 7 p.m.

You can follow Bunting on Instagram, @JoelBunting. Follow the Clovers on social media and visit the club’s website at savannahclovers.com.

Follow Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.

This article appears in Apr 1-30, 2023.