Call it a microcosm of Ottawa Fury FC's young existence.

Just as the North American Soccer Leage club starts to make strides in what until two weeks ago was a pretty tough campaign, it's hit with an injury to one of its most consistent pieces on the back line.

In announcing that centre back Drew Beckie will be out for likely the next month, Fury coach Marc Dos Santos now has to tinker with a lineup that was finally starting to get some traction.

For the first time in recent memory, Dos Santos fielded the same starting 11 Saturday in Indy as he did the week before at home to San Antonio. Fury picked up four of a possible six points in those games and is riding its first two-game unbeaten streak since mid-May when the Fury had a draw against Tampa Bay and a win against Indy.

The latest win against Indy saw Beckie go down toward the end of the first half and his team, which had already turned in a solid first 45 minutes, seemed to rally around an injury to a key piece of the Fury puzzle and a well-respected guy in the locker room.

The win had Dos Santos acknowledging that the hard-fought draw against San Antonio may have, in fact, been a turning point for Fury, a term he had avoided using up until then. At a community practice Tuesday night in Kanata, defender Mason Trafford -- Beckie's partner at centre back -- said it felt like the squad had turned a corner.

The challenge now is maintaining the momentum without Beckie for a few weeks. Until Omar Jarun returns from a calf injury, look for Ryan Richter to move from the right side to centre back to replace Beckie. Philippe Davies, who has proven to have great pace on the right side, could move into the spot vacated by Richter. Ramon Soria has started the last two games at left back and has been solid.

A team that doesn't like to make excuses, Fury will make the necessary adjustments in Beckie's absence. For the first time in a month, the side is confident and playing a smart possession game that is letting them attack more successfully but not seeing them get caught flat-footed the way they were during a four-game losing streak. More importantly, Fury has scored in its last four contests after being shut out in four straight games.

Fury FC will continue the hunt for its first home win of the fall season when the Tampa Bay Rowdies visit TD Place Saturday night.

IN THE SUBURBS

Fury FC had another successful community practice Tuesday night as the squad held a short training session at Walter Baker Park before involved young players from West Ottawa Soccer to do battle in a shooting contest.

Marketing a new sport like soccer in Ottawa requires a lot more work than say the Senators or RedBlacks, something of which the Fury players are well aware. With their own traininig held at 8:30 a.m., the evening event makes for a long day, but every one of them hung out on the field until the dozens of kids -- and some parents -- got all the autographs they needed.

With school getting started, Fury should also target the university crowd -- Carleton is close by and TD Place offers beer and a soccer game, seems simple enough.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Fury's success over the last couple games has been recognized by the NASL. After Tommy Heinemann was named to the league's Team of the Week for scoring the tying goal against San Antonio, midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Richter received the honour this week.

Ubiparipovic scored the winning goal less than two minutes after Indy had tied the game, while Richter turned in his most solid all-around performance since being loaned to Fury by Toronto FC. The defender showed his versatility in the position in shuffling over to centre back when Beckie was injured.

SIDELINES

The latest members of Fury FC to complete the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge were Dos Santos along with assistants Martin Nash and Phil Dos Santos ... Ryan Richter was sporting a cut over his left eye after a face-to-head collision with Mauro Eustaquio in training Tuesday. Both were good to go for Tuesday night's practice in Kanata ... Fury goalkeeper Romuald Peiser continues to impress. He's now started the last four matches and has had made a number of key saves along the way ... After losing to Ottawa last weekend, Indy Eleven is still searching for its first home win.

chris.hofley@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @chrishofley