SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Simon Dawkins had hardly cleared customs before making his debut for the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday in a 1-0 loss against Real Salt Lake.
The Edgware, England native on loan from club partner Tottenham Hotspur came on in the 66th minute for captain Ramiro Corrales to provide a spark with the Quakes down 1-0. Moments later, Dawkins made a darting run down the middle of the field with the ball that generated a quality chance in the area. Playing with the No. 10 jersey as a central midfielder, Dawkins provided several exciting moments during his 25 minutes of play.
"When I was on the bench, I was looking for opportunities where we could expose the ball," Dawkins said. "I figured if I ran with the ball at midfield, I could create some chances. And that’s what I did. We had a few more chances, but just couldn’t take them. It was a little disappointing."
The Earthquakes and Tottenham Hotspur announced a loan deal for Dawkins on Wednesday. San Jose was unsure whether he would arrive in time for Saturday's fixture. However, despite not practicing with the club ahead of the match, the former England National Team U-17 fit in immediately and could see more time next weekend when the Quakes visit FC Dallas.
