Image by Flickr user Jack Amick
After struggling through five scoreless games, the Charleston Batter have finally beaten back at home to net a 2-1 win against the Richmond Kickers Tuesday night at Blackbaud Stadium.
It was an end to the longest scoring drought in the team's nineteen year history with the Battery having failed to score for five games coming into the match.
The win lifts Charleston (4-4-2) into 4th position in USL PRO’s American division while Richmond (6-1-1) remains in 2nd place, but see’s its unbeaten start to the season come to a halt.
The game started in bizarre fashion after rookie defender Sean Flatley misplayed a backpass to goalkeeper Keith Wiggans. Delicate latched onto the loose ball and saw his first shot saved but followed up to head the rebound into an empty net.
The Battery fought back with Kelly causing the majority of the problems for the Richmond defenders with his pace.
In the 26th minute Kelly’s persistence finally paid off after he slipped past Richmond’s William Yomby at the half-way line. Kelly’s first touch took him past the final defender and he sprinted in on goal alone. Goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale got a hand to the initial shot but Kelly followed up and tucked the ball away.
Charleston continued to press and came close to taking the lead just before half-time after Nicki Patterson picked out veteran midfielder Stephen Armstrong at the edge of the box. Armstrong attempted a full volley but the ball flashed wide of the near post.
Just after the hour mark Delicate found some space at the back of the box but he could not keep his attempt under the bar.
The Battery scored the game winner in the 76th minute with a clever through ball from Patterson who just managed to find Jon Gruenewald at the edge of the penalty-area. Gruenewald took a touch into the box and lifted the ball past Pascale and into the back of the net.
The Battery are back at Blackbaud Stadium on Saturday night to take on the Harrisburg City Islanders; kick off is set for 7:30 p.m.
