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Greg Hurst didn鈥檛 mind the point. He would have preferred more.

And a little more time.

鈥淚 think if the game went another two, three minutes, we probably walk out with three points,鈥� the New Mexico United forward said after Saturday鈥檚 1-1 draw with Orange County SC. 

Maybe. Possibly. Potentially. Pick a word.

But United (4-4-3) certainly had its chances to leave with a win before any kind of extra time. Certainly after Kipp Keller鈥檚 header in the second minute 鈥� the second-fastest goal in club history 鈥� gave New Mexico a 1-0 lead. Certainly after Nico Benalcazar scored the equalizer in the 19th minute for Orange County (5-2-5).

In the 32nd minute when Hurst had trouble with a pass just outside the keeper area. In the 33rd when a pass to Maliek Howell went off the defender鈥檚 foot wide right of the goal. There was Dayonn Harris鈥� shot from the center of the box that went wide right two minutes later.

That was just in the first half. The second provided the same difficulties.

The Harris cross shortly after halftime that went off Outsman Jabang鈥檚 foot in the middle of the box. Hurst missing a pass near the same spot in the 70th minute. Jabang鈥檚 shot outside the penalty arc that hit off the crossbar three minutes after that. A Justin Rennicks header four minutes later that hit the ground in front of the goal and bounced above the net.

鈥淥f course it鈥檚 frustrating,鈥� Keller said. 鈥淚 think we deserve to win and we deserved to win tonight. We鈥檙e in really good form. I think this is a good step in the right direction. We haven鈥檛 a lost a game in four (matches), so we鈥檙e in a good place. It鈥檒l come.

鈥淪taying positive, not getting discouraged, encouraging the attacking players and my teammates is key. So, the leaders鈥� got to come out and keep feeding positivity and we know we鈥檙e going to get those goals and they鈥檙e going to come.鈥�

The question is: when?

Chances are coming. Capitalizing on them has been different.

After Saturday鈥檚 outing, New Mexico is tied for 23rd in the 25-team USL Championship with 12 regular-season goals, two ahead of last-place Hartford. And of the 16 matches the club has taken part in 鈥� regular season, U.S. Open Cup and the USL Cup 鈥� only six have featured two or more goals with three coming in cup competitions.

The good news is United hasn鈥檛 conceded many goals, either. Just 13, good for a tie for 18th. It鈥檚 helped keep New Mexico in the top eight of the Western Conference standings.

鈥淚n terms of the performance and the attitude, being on the front foot, being aggressive at the right moments, I liked a lot of things we saw,鈥� said manager Dennis Sanchez, whose club travels to Sacramento next week. 鈥淚f we can be a little bit more clinical in certain moments, especially when we have momentum, that鈥檚 the next step for this group.鈥�

It鈥檚 a step the players believe it鈥檚 coming. They would just like to see it much sooner rather than later.

Otherwise, they鈥檙e going to be left having preferred more time 鈥� again.

鈥淲e definitely know with the quality we have that it鈥檚 going to come at some point,鈥� Hurst said. 鈥�... We know we鈥檙e better than that. The biggest thing, though, and I鈥檝e said it before, is the fact that we鈥檙e creating chances. That鈥檚 a big one. You鈥檙e more worried if there鈥檚 no chances and you鈥檙e kind of fighting through games, scraping draws and wins.

鈥淏ut we are creating the chances and it鈥檚 just a matter of finding the feeling of it and once you get a couple, I think the flood gates will open.鈥�

David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X .