Claiming their first home win of the season, the Charleston Battery toppled the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in last Saturday's encounter at Blackbaud Stadium. With 3,269 in attendance, Charleston outmatched and outgunned the Hounds on every corner of the pitch. The game's only goal came at ten minutes as Nicki Patterson headed goalwards from a Jose Cuevas freekick. The Battery's impenetrable defense allowed for another offensive game and the Low Country Boys managed an impressive thirteen shots to Pitt's six. Charleston were unlucky not to have netted a few more, but Hunter Gilstrap helped the dogs hold on. His opposite number between the sticks, Charleston's Andrew Dykstra had an impressive game as well. With four important saves as well as solid leadership and cooperation from the back, the Battery recorded their second successive clean sheet. Pittsburgh surged late in the second half but were unable to level the score.
This is another promising result for Charleston who after the weekend's action sit one point below league leaders Orlando City. The win came with a cost, however. Defensive midfielder Amadou Sanyang was taken off halfway through the match due to a lower abdominal injury. As vitally important is the ankle sprain suffered by Jose Cuevas whose creativity and nose for goal has led the squad thus far.
On a positive note, Nicki Patterson seems to be making a habit of finding the net. In the same vein, during the midweek returning Jamaican striker Dane Kelly put pen to paper along with his Caribbean compatriot Navion Boyd. The Reggae Boyz have both come to Charleston from Jamaican Premier side Tivoli Gardens FC. Kelly returns after a successful season with the Battery, scoring six goals and notching an assist last year. Boyd, a member of the Jamaican national team, is a veteran striker for Tivoli Gardens scoring twenty-six goals in his stint with the club. Both are ridiculously fast and should make our already successful strike force that much more dangerous!
Charleston host Antigua Barracuda FC Friday at the 'Baud and will be out for another strong result at home. Judging from a USOC post earlier in the day, Open Cup fixtures will be forthcoming here in just a few days! So stay tuned...and as always, Up the Battery!!
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