For three quarters against the Moberly Spartans last week, Fulton head coach Pat Kelley saw his team play with focus. He saw the Hornets' defense play tough against a multi-faceted Moberly offense and go into halftime down 14-0.
Fulton even closed within 21-7 midway through the third quarter thanks to a 3-yard scoring run by sophomore running back Kegan Lee. And from there, the inability to close in on, or close out an opponent - something the Hornets have struggled mightily with this season - reared its head.
"With a young team, it's about playing four quarters and not letting your guard down," Kelley said Tuesday afternoon. "We have to learn by experience and we talk about if you get a lead, you have to put it away."
North Central Missouri Conference opponent Kirksville, a team Fulton is accustomed to playing in tight games, comes to Robert E. Fisher Stadium for the annual homecoming game tonight. Kickoff is at 7.
Fulton (1-4, 1-3 NCMC) gave up 26 unanswered points in last week's 47-7 loss to Moberly last week, its third loss of 40 or more points this season. After notching their first win of the season at Marshall 10-8 the previous week, the Hornets withstood momentum-killers with their special teams in the kickoff game, both in return and coverage.