Defender Dunseth sits out due to injury

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Brian Dunseth's string of 10 straight starts came to an end Saturday night against the Earthquakes. It's too bad, too, because Real Salt Lake needed him.

The RSL defender was slated to start at right back despite a groin injury, but after testing the ankle Saturday afternoon, he and the trainers decided it would be best to rest him with a home game coming up this Wednesday.

Matt Behncke started instead in the three-defender, 3-5-2 formation — his second straight start. The three-man defense was no match for San Jose's attack which scored three times in the first half.

Dunseth missed the first two games of the season with a similar ankle injury. In Week 3, however, he made a big splash in his debut scoring the game's only goal in a 1-0 win over Colorado.

BACK IN ACTION: Kenny Cutler was very much at ease in just his second professional start Saturday night. Then again, it only took him one minute to get comfortable in his first start last week.

"I was telling the guys right before warm-up I was real, real nervous," said Cutler about his debut at holding midfield last week. "But as we got out there and warmed up, I was surprisingly calm."

After the opening whistle blew on that game at L.A., Cutler kept reminding himself to "make the first pass, and make the first tackle."

Once he did, he felt like he was back at Clemson University, where he started from 2000 to 2003.

GOOD MEMORIES: It was only home for one of his seven Major League Soccer seasons, but RSL's Chris Brown has nothing but fond memories of playing for the San Jose Earthquakes last season.

"It's not a revenge thing for me. I loved it there," said Brown.

Brown, who started and played the full 90 minutes Saturday at his old stomping grounds, has said several times this year that San Jose was his favorite home in MLS prior to Salt Lake City.

During his seven-year career, he's also spent time with Kansas City and New England.

THROWN INTO THE MIX: Defender Kelly Gray scored a goal in his debut with San Jose Saturday, just five days after being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Fire.

Gray had been with the Fire since being drafted in 2002, but was dealt to San Jose earlier this week in exchange for a 2006 second-round pick.