Real Salt Lake kept their perfect record at home intact Saturday, handing another loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, with a 3-1 win. The win gives RSL a much-needed three points, helping them climb back into contention in the Western Conference race.

After a sluggish first half, reserve forward Robbie Findley got the ball rolling in the 48th minute when midfielder Javier Morales fed him the ball on the left side of the field. Findley took a shot that blew past San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon for the first point of the night.

"The first half was a little bit sloppy, we didn't have a real good flow of the game," Findley said. "But for the second half we got a little talking [in the locker room], got us riled up and we went out and played like we wanted to."

It was Findley's second goal of the season for RSL, and Morales' sixth assist, keeping the Argentine in contention for assist-leader in Major League Soccer.

Findley almost didn't get to play in the game, until starting forward Fabian Espindola went down shortly before extra time during the first half with a left knee strain.

After dominating possession for most of the game, Morales would try to get in on the scoring action with a goal of his own in the 60th minute. Midfielder Andy Williams brought the ball across the midfield line and dished out a pass to Findley, hoping for more of the same results. But after the 'Quakes teamed up on Findley, the energetic forward dished a pass out to Morales inside the penalty box.

Morales faked as Cannon dove to the ground, then spun around the downed keeper and kicked a rocket of a shot into the back of the net for his second goal of 2008.

Williams would try to handle the San Jose defenders all alone in the 73rd minute, but San Jose's Nick Garcia brought him down hard inside the box. The move would give Garcia a yellow card, and RSL an advantageous free kick, one that Dema Kovalenko took to seal the deal, 3-0.

"It's important when you play in any league that your home form is good," RSL forward Kenny Deuchar said. "That's obviously five games, six if you include the Open Cup game, that we're undefeated at home. We've got a lot of good wins right here as well. We've got to concentrate on keeping this place a very had place to come to. Teams don't like coming here, and if they know we are good at home they're going to like it even less."

Against a squad of mostly reserve players, San Jose looked to be coming back when midfielder Ramiro Corrales snuck a goal past RSL's Nick Rimando in the 84th minute. But it was too little, too late, and the 'Quakes fell to maintain their last-place position in the Western Conference.

RSL will enjoy the loving home-crowd for another week, squaring off against the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m.

Copyright Brigham Young University 2 Jun 2008