TULSA, Okla. – Coming off a big win in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night, the concern for OKC Energy FC coming into the first Black Gold Derby of the season against Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Saturday night at ONEOK Field was that the side could suffer a letdown after its overtime win against Rayo OKC.

Thanks to a pair of goals in the first half, both created by Kyle Hyland, Coach Jimmy Nielsen’s side put those concerns to rest – and delighted a large contingent of travelling fans – with a 2-0 victory against its in-state rivals.

“I feel very good,” said Nielsen following the contest. “I think the first 45 minutes we played absolutely brilliant. Maybe a little bit slow in the start, but we took over completely in the first half and scored two very good goals.

“The second half, we were still chasing goal No. 3, with 15, 20 minutes left we started to manage the game a little bit better, and I thought the guys did a very professional job on the field, managed the game well.”

The slow start almost cost Energy FC a goal, as goalkeeper Cody Laurendi had to make an excellent save to deny Tulsa’s Brady Ballew just three minutes in. That would be the only shot the Roughnecks would land on target in the opening stanza, however, as Energy FC began to take control, and create chances.

In particular, Energy FC’s short passing game outside the Roughnecks’ penalty area paid dividends, as Hyland set up recent loan addition Wojciech Wojcik for his first goal for the club in the 21st minute. A good low cross from the left by the left back – who had scored the overtime winner against Rayo in midweek – found the run of Wojcik, who volleyed home sweetly at the near post.

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“Me and [Danni] König were running off each other pretty well, Kyle got on the ball and provided a really good service, and I just got on the end of it and finished in the back of the net,” said Wojcik. “I’ve been trying to do that all game, I was in the right place at the right time, and fortunately Kyle played a really nice ball that I was at the receiving end to be able to put in the back of the net.”

Hyland was again the key man seven minutes later as OKC made it 2-0. While his looping cross just eluded a teammate at the top of the six yard area, its arc brought it through to Daniel Gonazalez at the back post, and the former PDL standout finished clinically back into the left corner of the net.

The second half proved a little more balanced, as Energy FC looked to tack on a third goal and the Roughnecks came close to pulling one back before OKC took some of the steam out of the game late to claim victory over its rival.

With another big game coming up next weekend against Rio Grande Valley FC, though, the past week’s results aren’t going to linger too long in the memory for Energy FC’s players. Now sixth in the Western Conference with games in hand on the teams above, OKC is ready to focus on what’s next on the slate.

“We treat every game here like, you can’t really focus on what happened, you’ve just got to prepare yourself for what’s coming, and today that was our task to play against a good Tulsa team that likes to play direct,” Wojcik said. “We were fortunate to put two in early, and manage the game from there. We could have managed the game better in the second half, but we finished the game off strongly and got the win.”

“We battled hard with them and we played with a big concentration,” added Nielsen. “We didn’t want to give anything away, and I don’t really remember any big chances for Tulsa. Smart game by the guys, a big-time credit to them.”