In soccer action Tuesday night, the seventh-ranked Brookhaven Panthers scored three goals early in the first half of a 5-0 victory over the Natchez High Bulldogs.

&uot;We’re just coming along right now,&uot; Natchez soccer coach Bill Dillon said. &uot;We’ve been showing some improvement, but tonight I felt like we took a step back.&uot;

The game was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. However, Brookhaven did not arrive at Natchez High until about 5:20 and the game did not start until after 5:30.

Daniel Gates scored two goals and Zach Harrison also scored a goal to within the first 15 minutes of the first half.

After that, the Bulldogs shut down the Panthers’ attack.

Unfotunately, they could only get two shots on goal in the first half. Brookhaven took a 3-0 halftime.

Brookhaven would not score its final two goals of the game until more than midway through the second half. Justin Windham scored both of those goals.

The lone bright spot for the Bulldogs was the play of Carl Hayes, who made several outstanding saves throughout the game.

Hayes, however, let two goals get through his hands, one by Gates and one by Windham.

&uot;Carl Hayes kept us in the game,&uot; coach Dillon said. &uot;But we’ve got to have 11 players out there who can give 100 percent. But we’re coming along in our first year.&uot;

With the loss, Natchez High dropped to 0-5 overall.