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Findley's hat trick leads Real Salt Lake over Columbus

Apr 3, 2009 - 4:08 AM SANDY, Utah (AP) -- Robbie Findley could not remember scoring a goal in the first two minutes of a game prior to Thursday night, but that wasn't the only major accomplishment by the Real Salt Lake forward.

Findley notched the first hat trick in the franchise's five-year history and Kyle Beckerman also added a goal as Real Salt Lake earned its first win of the season, 4-1 over the winless Columbus Crew.

After scoring in the second minute, Findley got the winner for Real Salt Lake (1-1-0) in the 29th minute when he stopped Columbus goalkeeper William Hesmer's attempted clearance and dribbled around him before calmly scoring in an empty net.

Findley wasn't done, scoring again in the 62nd minute with a header off a cross from Yura Movsisyan against the defending champions.

"I think the last time I got three goals I was a little kid," said the 23-year-old Findley.

The Crew (0-1-2) temporally tied the game at 1 when Jason Garey took advantage of a mishandled ball in the box by Real's defense and scored in the 22nd minute. Gino Padula sent the cross in and the ball bounced off goalkeeper Nick Rimando's leg right to Garey.

"From the second minute we had to chase the game, which is sometimes very difficult especially away from home," said Columbus coach Robert Warzucha. "We started to play a little better and obviously scored a goal, but then we gave up another one and had to chase the game again."

Columbus' goal came off its only shot in the first half as Real outshot the Crew 8-1 during the first 45 minutes. Four of Real's shots in that half were on goal, and it finished with a 17-8 shots advantage, including eight on goal.

"When we've got our heads on right and do the things we need to do we're going to create opportunities and I was able to get on the end of a few," Findley said.

Findley's first goal also came following a mistake by Hesmer when he made an initial save on a free kick from Real's Will Johnson, but Findley was there to score off the rebound. Findley left in the 70th minute to a standing ovation from the crowd of 11,806.

The game was the second multiple-goal outing with Real for Findley, who also scored both goals in his debut on June 23, 2007 in a 2-1 win over D.C. United.

"Obviously we wanted a night like that for Robbie Findley for a while now," said Real coach Jason Kreis. "The staff and the players have a lot of confidence in what he can do and he showed some of that tonight."

Beckerman also scored on a header, with his coming off a corner kick from Clint Mathis in the 67th minute. Mathis also assisted on Findley's third goal.

The Crew played without forward Pat Noonan, who was out with a lower back strain, and defender Frankie Hejduk, who played 90 minutes in the U.S. National Team's 3-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee.