FRESNO, Calif. — With three wins in a row, Fresno FC has been slowly building in form and becoming a threat in the USL Western Conference. On Saturday, with a 4-0 win over Phoenix Rising FC, the Foxes well and truly announced their arrival.

“To me, I think we’re sending the league a message: Fresno’s here, and we’re here to battle,” said goalscorer Christian Chaney. “We’re not here for games. We’re serious, you know? Professional soccer is in town, and be ready for us. That’s how I see it.”

The consecutive wins have Fresno confident ahead of a four-game road trip, giving the team hope of reversing its road form. The Foxes road record currently stands at 2-5-3, which is what has Fresno only in eighth place.

“I think the fact that we have won the last three pretty convincingly – that is a huge confidence booster, and that will be brilliant going into the road trip,” said Fresno FC Head Coach Adam Smith. “Road trips are never easy playing in the different conditions, you’ve got to travel, but we have got a fit team, a focused team, a confident team and we have faced everybody in the league now.”

With two goals in two games, Chaney has been key to the improved form the Foxes have shown, and Smith is confident, looking forward to what he will produce when he has hit his best form.

“I am delighted for him because he’s taken what we’ve given him, and he is working his backside off every single day in training,” said Smith. “He’s focused, and he has become more of a professional player. He still has a long way to go, but he scores another goal tonight, but he just has to keep rolling. I’m really pleased with him.”

RGVFC SHAPE CHANGE BOOSTS SIDE: It’s been a difficult season for Rio Grande Valley FC, but with a changed formation the Toros got their second win of the season, defeating Las Vegas Lights FC 2-0 on Saturday night.

“We’re adding an extra forward, so we’re just trying to give ourselves as many guys in the box when we have the ball. That’s key. Some guys have movements,” said RGV FC Head Coach Gerson Echeverry. “I don’t know if we have too many guys who can play by themselves up front. With a 4-3-3 with the two wide guys in front of the center backs, I think having two close to the center backs makes it difficult for them. So, I think it’s helped. Still, to the end, we changed back again to be able to defend, being that they were being extremely direct. We were just able to close it down, which was important.”

Echeverry refused to give away much about what else had changed with the team to generate these good results, but the changes in the results are clear for all to see.

“I don’t think we’ve done anything. It’s just that we’re scoring goals now. That’s what it is,” said Echeverry. “We’re defending well. We gave up some chances, absolutely, but we’re getting some goals. Being a little more patient, more creative, more combination play, that’s helped.”

After what was looking like dark times in Edinburg, things have changed for the Toros, and that change is leading to a happier dressing room, which can only help get more results.

“It’s a very exciting and happy environment right now,” said goalscorer Conor Donovan. “Winning is always fun, and to get your first win in a while is a great thing. All the guys are extremely happy.”

PORTLAND FINDING FORM AGAIN: Portland Timbers 2 started the season in hot form, surprising many with a rise up the USL Western Conference, but in recent weeks, that form fell away, with four straight losses. On Saturday, that run ended, with a 2-1 victory over the Swope Park Rangers.

“It was obviously an important three points for us,” said Head Coach Cameron Knowles. "We’ve been on a run of poor results, and I thought the guys played really well in the first half to get ourselves in a position to win the game and then did what they had to do to see the game out. It was a very important three points.”

T2’s Foster Langsdorf scored the opening goal but couldn’t find the second he wanted after the Rangers shut him down. That allowed others the opportunities, with Marvin Loria putting away the winning goal.

“A lot of the guys did well. I think Foster would be disappointed that he didn’t score more goals,” said Knowles. “He put himself in some good positions to score, and like I said, he had a lot of chances. He’s a dangerous player; he can create for himself and for other people.”

The key now for T2 will be taking this win into its next match against Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday night. Portland rode a good start and managed to play out the match in the second half, something that Knowles doesn’t want to repeat.

“There are a lot of positives, especially from the first 45 minutes. The way the guys worked for each other, being very calm and comfortable on the ball and being decisive in the moments when they went forward, and they were composed in their deep defending,” said Knowles. “There are some things that we need to clean up that we saw in the second half, but it’s good that we’ve got a full week so we can work on those things and hopefully build on this result.”