The Gilbert-Hamilton boys soccer rivalry is a hotly contested one. Whether there are lots of fouls called or few, many cards handed out or none, the intensity is always high. Wednesday night was no exception as Gilbert continued a sizzling-hot January with a 2-1 win over Hamilton in a Division I match at Hamilton High.

Neither coach was enthused about talking about the match afterwards. Hamilton retired to its locker room after the midfield handshake and Gilbert coach Jeff Perry didn't want to chat much. The match saw eight cards handed out in the first half (three red) and 11 overall by the time the final horn sounded. Gilbert was carded six times (two red) and Hamilton five times (one red). The victory was Gilbert's first over Hamilton since 2009. Hamilton had won the last four in a row. Since 2006 the teams have now split 12 meetings. Gilbert is 5-0 this month and has allowed just one goal in those matches.

The teams were both a man down midway through the first half with red cards handed out on the same play (one for a serious foul play on Gilbert the other on Hamilton for retaliation. Gilbert got its second red card (Zach Hellmann) for fouling Hamilton's keeper with 12 minutes left in the opening half and played with nine players the rest of the way.

Gilbert (12-3-2 overall, 9-1 power-ranking matches) never trailed. The Tigers scored in the first minute without a set piece they are are noted for. Nabil Attlassy found the back of the Hamilton net off a ricochet for the quick getaway. Attlassy was the first player red-carded at about the 20-minute mark and exited along with Hamilton's Pedro Garcia after Garcia went after Attlassy. That lead held the rest of the half as Gilbert began the first of 52 minutes a man down. Gilbert played good defense and received solid goal tending from Dylan Fedor.

The onslaught of cards and Gilbert's fast goal made for an unusual first half, but more was to come in the second. Gilbert took some pressure off itself in the 48th minute by scoring a short-handed goal to go up 2-0. Justin Read tallied as players scrambled in the box for possession and Read came away with a clean winner.

Hamilton (12-2-2, 5-1-2 prm) continued to outshoot Gilbert in the second half with its man advantage and finally scored on Beto Vidano's header in the 62nd minute. Three minutes earlier, Fedor made a nice save on a header and did so again in the 77th minute to turn away Hamilton's last bid to tie and force overtime.

Hamilton, which has lost back-to-back matches, was playing its first match since last weekend after returning from the Montverde Academy Tournament in Florida. Hamilton dropped the third-place game of the tourney to Cathedral, Calif, 2-0.