Justin Fischer sent a cross-pass from the left side to Joseph Stammeyer on the right side, and Stammeyer fired a shot that hit inside the left part of the goal in the 87th minute to give Newton the 2-1 come from behind overtime win against Marshalltown.

“It’s quality and execution,” said Bobcat coach Chris Fuchsen of avoiding a letdown. “I ask the boys every day to bring the intensity, focus, quality and execution. It comes down to being able to finish your chances. Foolish mistakes at the back, and there it is. Two mistakes at the back, and there’s the game.”

The Cardinals (5-3) and the Bobcats (2-4) played evenly for the majority of the first half that even scoring opportunities were few and far between. Bobcat goalkeeper Alec Reynolds turned away a Newton shot off a free kick in the 20th minute. A turnover by the Cardinals in their own goal box in the 30th gave MHS its first good look at a scoring chance, but Ian Hernandez’s pass to Jose Torres couldn’t connect well enough to give Torres a solid shot chance. Hernandez then had a chance in the 33rd, but his shot as he went sliding to the ground went wide.

John Boland saw a handful of opportunities late in the first half, but couldn’t get anything to go. Boland’s shot from the left side just outside the goal box hit off the outside part of the post in the 34th. The senior then sent another shot in the 37th that went wide of the goal.

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING • Marshalltown’s Nick Summers, right, and Newton’s Josh Ventling fight for possession of the soccer ball in the first half Thursday at Leonard Cole Field. Newton came away with the 2-1 overtime win.

After a scoreless first half, the Bobcats saw another handful of chances to light up the scoreboard early in the second half. Chum Ling’s free kick from about 28 yards out in the 43rd sailed high of the goal, and Ronaldo Ordaz’s shot in the 49th was slapped away by Newton goalkeeper Reagan Maple.

“The quality to have composure,” Fuchsen said. “To be able to use the ball to release pressure. It’s a young team we’re dealing with, and you saw a lot of tonight where the inability to keep composed in tight situations. It’s tough at this level.

“Take your hats off to Newton. They played tough, battled hard and finished their opportunities.”

Boland finally broke the ice in the 50th. His shot from the right side about 12 yards out hit top shelf of the left side of the goal for the 1-0 lead. Newton had an equalizing chance in the 55th with a breakaway, but Bobcat senior Nick Summers ran the attacker down and was able to knock the ball out of bounds before the Cardinals could get a shot off.

Newton eventually did get the equalizer in the 62nd. Fischer notched his team-leading eighth goal of the season, getting one by Reynolds. Neither team saw clear scoring opportunities the rest of regulation. Raul Perez had the lone scoring chance for the Bobcats in overtime with a header that was turned away in the 83rd.

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING

The Bobcats will have to move on from the heartbreaking loss quickly. Marshalltown is back on its home pitch tonight, hosting Southeast Polk (7-2) at 7:30 p.m. The Bobcats got the better of the Rams a year ago, 1-0, in Pleasant Hill. Every meeting between SEP and Marshalltown, seven in all, going back to 2011 has been decided by one goal.

“You don’t forget about it. You just show up the next day,” Fuchsen said of moving on from a tough loss. “You look to do better. It’s another opportunity for us to try to right our wrongs. It’s going to be a tough one against Southeast Polk. It’s tough on these guys to go overtime and then a gave a game the next day. You’re back at it. Growing pains.”

Newton 2, Marshalltown 1, OT

At Marshalltown

First Half

T-R PHOTO BY ADAM RING

No scoring

Second Half

MHS — John Boland, 49:05

NEW — Justin Fischer, 61:56

Overtime

NEW — Joseph Stammeyer (Fischer), 86:55

Goalkeepers — NEW: Reagan Maple (5 shots on goal-4 saves); MHS: Alec Reynolds (5-3).

Shots — NEW 6, MHS 11

Shots on goal — NEW 5, MHS 5

Fouls — NEW 19, MHS 26

Corner kicks — NEW 2, MHS 2

Yellow Cards — Ronaldo Ordaz, MHS, 57:42.