Defending National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) Champion New York Cosmos B won their third straight match, defeating the Rhode Island Reds by a score of 4-1 at LIU Post in Brookville, Long Island Saturday evening.

With the win Cosmos B (10-2-1, 31 points) inched closer to their second straight NPSL Northeast Atlantic Conference title. The Cosmos reserves hold an eight-point advantage over Boston City FC with three regular season matches left.

“A win is a win,” Cosmos B Head Coach Fernando Barboto said after the victory. “A win is always good. Three points at home is always mandatory.”

After trading possession with Rhode Island for the first 15 minutes of the match, Cosmos B struck first. Jesus Alvarez assisted Ivan Berterame in the box for the opening tally of the game in the 16^th minute. Just two minutes later, Trey Williams knocked in another ball in the box to make it 2-0 Cosmos B.

Williams would complete a first-half brace in the 43^rd minute, receiving a pass from Berterame and finishing to put the home side up 3-0 at halftime.

Coach Barboto lauded his players for how they used the home field to their advantage.

“I think our players seized the opportunity that was given to them,” he said. “Our game plan was to really stretch the opponent out with the big field, and [our guys] seemed to have done that. The moments they had, they took well and scored three in that first half.”

Rhode Island was aggressive as play resumed in the second half. Bruno Scodari was shown a second yellow card in the 46^th minute for a hard challenge that sent a Cosmos B player into the scorer’s table. Scodari had previously picked up a yellow card in the first half for a rough slide tackle, and the Reds would have play the rest of the match a man down.

The man disadvantage did not faze Rhode Island initially. Nine minutes after Scodari was sent off, Nicolas Lozada-Smith scored to cut Cosmos B’s lead to two.

Like the opening minutes of the match, the rest of the second half was highlighted by gritty play as both sides traded possession. Cosmos B’s next scoring chance came in the 77^th minute. Franklin Castellanos charged down the right flank and rocketed a shot on frame that ricocheted off the crossbar.

Cosmos B would regain their three-goal advantage in the 87^th minute as an unmarked Alejandro Mitrano, who came on in the 68^th minute, sped down the left sideline after receiving a pass from Per Eik Forgaard and finished to make it 4-1 Cosmos B.

This was Cosmos B’s third consecutive victory. The reserve side has scored 11 goals in those three fixtures.

“With three straight, we’ve definitely been scoring some goals,” said Barboto. “I don’t think we had our best game today, but I think we did well enough for it to be a 4-1 game.

“We want to get a shutout. The number one thing in our plan is to get a shutout our next game.”

Cosmos B will host Greater Lowell United FC on Saturday, July 2 at Hofstra University’s James M. Shuart Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET. The NPSL match is part of a Cosmos doubleheader, as the Cosmos first team will open its 2016 North American Soccer League Fall Season against Ottawa Fury FC at 7 p.m.