The Richmond Kickers entered this past weekend's home and away series with the Hampton Roads Mariners in pretty good shape. They led the Atlantic division for the first time this season, with the Mariners and the Charleston Battery trying to catch up to them. After the weekend was over, Hampton Roads had received a considerable setback. The Kickers won Friday's game in Richmond 3-1, and then traveled to Hampton the next evening and handed the Mariners a 2-1 loss, their first home defeat of the season. The Mariners also suffered a serious blow when starting goalkeeper Jon Busch was lost for the season with a torn PCL after colliding with a Richmond player during Saturday's game. However, the fan support for both teams was great, as more than 2,000 showed up for Friday's showdown, and another 3,600 attended the return leg Saturday evening.
Friday's game started well for Hampton Roads. After struggling for the first 15 minutes, the Mariners were able to take command of the game and put considerable pressure on the Richmond defense, led by Scott Cannon and Chris Fox. The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute. The Mariners' Chris Scrofani made a great run down the left flank and looked to cross the ball onto on-running teammate Saul Martinez. Martinez had made his run too deep into the penalty area, but he was able to draw 2 Kickers defenders with him. Mariners player Seamus Donnelly ran into the open space created by Martinez, and the forward was able to loft Scrofani's cross just over the outstretched reach of Richmond 'keeper Mike McGinty for a 1-0 lead. Although Richmond's star forward Dwayne DeRosario had several chances in the 1st half, he was unable to convert any of them, and Richmond went into the locker room trailing 1-0 at the half.
As he's done brilliantly all year, Richmond coach Leigh Cowlishaw went to his bench (probably the deepest in the A-League) and made the adjustments he thought would spark the team. As usual, his hunches were correct, as the play of substitutes Kwaku, Tony Williams, and Peter Luzak resulted in a dominating 2nd half performance by the Kickers. The fireworks started in the 47th minute, when Kwaku used a series of great moves to get around several Mariners defenders. He slotted the ball to DeRosario, who went around the 'keeper, caught up to the ball, and slammed home the equalizer for his 6th goal of the season.
The go-ahead goal in the 61st minute was the result of one of the best one-man efforts seen this year. Richmond defender Chris Fox received a pass around midfield, and turned upfield to attack the Mariners goal. Fox was looking to pass the ball to strikers DeRosario or Kwaku, but the Hampton Roads defense didn't provide him with an opening. Instead, Fox made one on his own. He fought through 2 defenders and briefly lost the ball, but regained it before the defense had a chance to clear. He calmly slotted the ball underneath Busch to give the Kickers the lead for good at 2-1. "That was for my parents. I couldn't say anything before the game because I rarely score, but now that I did I feel I can get away with it " joked a happy Fox afterward.
Richmond added the finishing touches in the final few minutes, as the speedy Kwaku once again raced past defenders and sent the ball to an open Peter Luzak. Luzak didn't waste the opportunity and put the ball in the net, making the final score 3-1 and giving Richmond the four points for the win, plus a bonus point for scoring the 3rd goal. The win, coupled with the 2-1 victory the following evening in Hampton, gives Richmond an 11 point lead over Hampton in the tough Atlantic division, as well as a 7 point lead over the 2nd place Charleston Battery. Not bad for a team most people thought would struggle to reach .500 for the season.
