Matchweek 21 ended with another good performance that went unrewarded. Energy FC fell to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2-0 on Saturday, but the Greens created enough good chances to have walked away with a point at the very least.

The opening 45 minutes was fairly uneventful as neither side was able to break down the other. The best chance of the half fell to Adam Jahn in the 6th minute. The ball went out of touch, Jahn made a smart run and Shawn McLaws found him in space with a perfect throw-in that caught the Switchbacks backline off guard. Jahn was able to cut inside on his right foot and opted to try and place his shot into the far side netting, but he couldn’t get the ball out of his feet to generate the necessary power to beat goalkeeper Moise Pouaty.

The Greens were inches away from taking the lead just three minutes into the second half. Philip Rasmussen did what he so frequently does and floated a dangerous free kick into the opposition's penalty area. Atiba Harris rose highest and glanced a header goalward. The ball drifted towards the back post but bounced off the bar and was eventually cleared to safety.

Colorado Springs capitalized on one of the few chances for the hosts in the 74th minute. Jordan Burt, who probably should have given the Switchbacks the lead ten minutes earlier, found himself in quite a bit of space in the left-hand channel. Burt had plenty of time to collect, spot the runner and deliver a dangerous out-swinger. Tobenna Uzo, who had only subbed on one minute before, got on the end of the cross to head the ball down and back across goal, leaving Bryan Byars no chance at making the save.

Christian Voleksy and Jose Barril will be disappointed they didn’t convert on either of their opportunities in the 77th and 78th minutes, respectively. Alex Dixon picked out Volesky all alone near the penalty spot, but the ball was a little behind the striker and his first-time effort wasn’t cleanly hit, which allowed Pouaty to comfortably collect.

Barril probably should have equalized just a minute later when Volesky nodded a ball down into his path that sent the Spaniard through on goal. Barril opted for power on his left foot and ended up slicing the ball and missing the target entirely.

A moment of attacking quality sealed the points for Colorado Springs in the 89th minute when Uzo and Shane Malcolm linked up with a give-and-go down the middle of the pitch. Uzo’s return ball left Malcolm one-on-one with Christian Ibeagha. The striker, who salvaged a point for the Switchbacks at Taft Stadium on July 7, was able to cut onto his left foot to create some space and slot the ball past Byars.

Looking back, Energy FC will feel they didn’t make the most of their opportunities. Harris’s header that was denied by the woodwork was unfortunate, but the misses from Jahn, Volesky and Barril will leave the Greens wondering "what could have been", and no one will be more frustrated than the players themselves.

Still, there’s something to be said for a side that continues to create high-quality chances. Despite not getting on the score sheet, this result can be chalked up to a failure to capitalize rather than a failure to create – a problem early in the season but not for the past three months.

Another positive to take away was the debut of Monty Patterson. The latest signing and New Zealand international looked lively during his half hour on the pitch and showed some promising signs of what’s to come.

Although things didn’t go as planned in Colorado Springs, there’s no time to dwell on the result. OKC is in the middle of another stretch of three matches in eight days, with a trip to Tulsa up next on Wednesday. With a win or a draw in third Black Gold Derby of 2018, the Greens can clinch the wrench and build some momentum ahead of Saturday’s visit from Western Conference leaders Real Monarchs SLC.

The Greens finish the week 13th in the Western Conference – 10 points off of the 8th place Swope Park Rangers, who are reeling at the moment. A win for Las Vegas Lights FC against Rio Grande Valley FC moves them ahead of OKC, but with a third of the season remaining, there's still plenty of time to make a move up the table.

Check back here tomorrow for a preview of Energy FC's fixtures in Matchweek 22.