Finally.

Starved for goals and in danger of being shut out for the third game in a row, Ottawa Fury FC's Nicki Paterson's 88th minute goal proved the difference as the home side blanked Indy Eleven 1-0 on Saturday afternoon.

The Scottish midfielder's reaction to his second goal of the season to give his team its second win summed up his entire team's relief as Paterson jumped into the supporter's section in Section W as the season-high crowd of 5,245 erupted.

It wasn't a pretty game, as missed chances through the first half had many wondering if this team would ever score again.

It was no coincidence Paterson's shot into the far side of the Indy goal came only minutes after captain Richie Ryan made his long-awaited return to the pitch, turning in 20 minutes of work after missing nearly all of the spring season with a knee injury. The Irish midfielder provides a crucial connection in the middle third Fury has desperately missed and needs to be successful.

"In my mind, Richie's the best player by far on this team," said a smiling Paterson. "Having a guy like that missing is huge, so having him back is a big boost on the park and off the park."

Paterson was admittedly upset with not being put into the starting 11 for what was a crucial game, which climbed Fury out of the league basement and, at least temporarily, into sixth spot on the NASL table.

"Obviously when you're on the bench, you're never happy so you want to come in and make an impact so I was glad I could do that today," he said.

Paterson said he wasn't looking for the pretty goal on the play, he just wanted to get the ball on net, something Fury hasn't been able to do enough lately.

"Sometimes you just have to put your foot through it and have a go," he said. "I made my mind up before I even went in, if one came my way I was hitting it."

Head coach Marc Dos Santos guaranteed a win at training this weekend, telling the Sun mid-week by about 5:30 Saturday night, Fury would have moved up the table. At his post game press conference, Dos Santos asked, with a grin, what time it was.

The coach wasn't happy with the overall performance, but said it was about time Fury got a break and won a game that wasn't always pretty.

"We've played much better than this and lost," he said. "It feels good (to) win a game ... it was just one of those types of game that if it ended 0-0, nobody would be shocked with it."

Ryan summed up the feeling of seeing a ball finally go in for his side.

"A feeling of relief, I think, more than anything," he said. "We've had a lot of chances in the games that (we've played) and we haven't taken them."

While Fury had a couple chances in the first half, Dos Santos wasn't happy with the offensive push and made an early substitution, putting striker Tommy Heinemann in place of midfielder Brandon Poltronieri at halftime. Paterson came on in the 61st minute, replacing Drew Beckie who had picked up an early yellow card.

Dos Santos credited Fury's consistently solid defensive play for finally allowing them to get a goal.

"The more you're solid defensively, the more you stay in the game and that's what we did today and we finally scored," he said.

Fury keeper Romuald Peiser turned away two shots on target to pick up the clean sheet.

Fury returns to training at TD Place this week ahead of the club's final home game of the spring season Friday against Canadian rivals FC Edmonton.

Patterson takes home bragging rights

Nicki Paterson's late game-winning goal Saturday was particularly sweet for the second-year Fury midfielder.

Not only did the 88th minute marker give Fury it's second of the season and first since beating Minnesota in the club's home-opener, he also scored it on a good friend.

Paterson and Indy Eleven goalkeeper Kristian Nicht share an agent and have known each other for five years, so naturally Paterson had to rub the goal in a little bit.

"I've scored against him every year pretty much, apart from last year when he saved my penalty (kick)," Paterson said. "I told him I owed him that from last year, so he wasn't too happy, to be honest."

Paterson didn't push his luck with the towering keeper.

"He's a big guy, so I just left it at that," He said.