After briefly wading into the realm of consistency during its pre-season slate in central Florida, Toronto FC’s defensive third folded in familiar fashion on Saturday in a 3-0 exhibition loss to the Philadelphia Union.

First-half goals from Philly’s Antoine Hoppenot and Roger Torres shattered a pre-season shutout streak the Reds had extended to 150 minutes following a 3-0 win over Orlando City here Wednesday.

Union midfielder Matt Kassel capped the scoring Saturday after the Reds failed to clear a corner, which led to Kassel receiving a recycled restart 20 metres from goal before scoring past a helpless Joe Bendik on a half-volley five minutes after halftime.

Having received cautiously optimistic praise ahead of Saturday’s loss, Toronto’s defence took onlookers back to season’s past after a pair of decent displays through the club’s first few exhibitions, a massive concern less than two weeks from Opening Day.

“We were tight the first few games,” assistant coach Fran O’Leary said in head coach Ryan Nelsen’s absence.

Nelsen, the club’s eighth head coach in seven seasons, is back in England wrapping up his move and talking with potential players.

O’Leary continued: “Today, we gave up some easy goals,”

What had been a fairly resolute Toronto defence conceded far too easily in the eighth minute when Hoppenot walked between centre backs Darren O’Dea and Gale Agbossoumonde.

The French forward’s low, left-footed drive at the top of the area beat Bendik to open the scoring.

Agbossumonde was partially to blame on the Union’s second in the 40th minute after Torres collected inside the penalty area. The Colombian play-maker cut past Agbossoumonde before bending past Bendik to double the Union’s lead.

“It was a tough day at the office for us,” O’Leary said. “We got a number of minutes under our belt, improved our fitness and it looks like we came out of here intact with no injuries. We’ll move on next week.”

Toronto, which issued starts to a number of trialists who continue to fight for first-team contracts, started well, conjuring up the first attempt of the game when Terry Dunfield headed a recycled corner right at Union ‘keeper Chase Harrison minutes in.

Toronto’s only other attempt on goal Saturday saw trialist Darel Russell’s attempt from distance palmed over the the frame by Harrison in first-half stoppage time.

The club’s staff reiterated the only positive when pressed about the undeniable dire state the club finds itself in with the Vancouver Whitecaps right around the corner.

“Fortunately for us, it’s pre-season,” O’Leary reiterated.

The thing is, it won’t be for long — and supporters seem to have an all-too familiar feeling with first kick around the corner.

“When the new staff comes in there’s a reason the new staff comes in,” O’Leary said. “Work needs to be done.”

The Reds hung their heads further in the 51st minute when Kassel laced the game’s clincher past Bendik.

To its credit, TFC did issue significant time to bubble players. Draft picks Ashton Bennett and Taylor Morgan joined Russell in TFC’s starting lineup in what might have been their final opportunities.

“We’re not going to judge guys on just one performance today,” O’Leary said. “We’ll judge them over the body of work since they’ve come in.”

Second-half substitute Justin Braun came closest to pulling one back for the Reds late in the game, but put his half-chance over the bar from 12 metres to lock in the final 3-0 scoreline.

Most concerning is the fact a rostered TFC player hasn’t scored during the run of play in three pre-season exhibitions.

Toronto will scrimmage Sporting KC next week before wrapping up pre-season camp next Saturday against D.C. United.

Toronto opens the MLS season in Vancouver on March 2.

WHO STAYS, GOES?

After releasing Argentine trialist Nicolas Cabrera Saturday morning, Toronto FC was left with six trialist — Ashton Bennett (draft pick), Taylor Morgan (draft pick), Darel Russell, Jonathan Osorio (TFC Academy), Derrick Bassi (TFC Academy) and Daniel Fabrizi (TFC Academy).

By Saturday afternoon, the Reds had increased that number by two after Canadian midfielder Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault and Coastal Carolina product Henrik Robstad joined the team in Orlando.

“We have a good core,” assistant coach Fran O’Leary said. “Obviously we look to add to that core group in the coming weeks … I think we’ll have some announcements for fans probably over the next week or so.”

Of those who started in a 3-0 loss to the Philadelphia Union here Saturday -- Morgan, Bennett and Russell — Morgan, one of the few forwards in camp, seemed to make the best case for an entry-level deal.

“Decisions will be made and the next week or so,” O’Leary said. “We’re not going to (measure) a guy just on one game.”