Battery Drop the Thunder

by Mike Buytas, a-league.com Match Reporter

30.Aug.2003
In the Battery's last regular season match, the boys didn't pull any punches and went for the jugular on the visiting Minnesota Thunder. In a display of what the Battery can be capable of they defeated the Thunder 3-0.

The match started off fairly evenly with the Thunder putting some early pressure on the Battery but Battery 2003 MVP Dusty Hudock met every challenge.

The crowd of 4,457 had to wait until the 39 minute to witness the first goal. Josh Henderson showed his magic as he beat a pair of defenders to send a cross through the six yard box where Thunder keeper Joe Warren punched the ball out but Battery midfielder Chris Goos quickly parried it back past Warren.

Three minutes later Josh Henderson added to the lead after receiving a ball from the back. He settled the ball and beat the defender and sent a rocket past Warren. 2-0 going into the half for the Baud Boys.

Half time brought the 2003 fan awards. No real surprises with the winners. In fact, I could have put one or two other names in any of the categories and would have been happy with the results, a sure sign that the boys are playing well as a team.

The Newcomer of the year was Ted Chronopoulos who also won the Offensive Player of the Year. Mark Watson won the 2003 Defensive Player of the Year. Dusty Hudock won the MVP for the second year straight. And Battery veteran Steve Klein won a newly added award this year, the David Vaughn Award, named in memory of a long time Battery supporter. The award is presented to the player that shows the best Commitment, loyalty, and Unselfishness to his team as well as a Tenacity and toughness on the field.

The second half continued with the momentum the Battery showed during the first half. But the Thunder tried to sneak back into it when former Battery now Thunder Kevin Anderson sent in a bomb from about 25 yards out to hit the post. Twice a ball was sent in through the penalty box from the right side to an on running Thunder player. Twice the player failed to get a touch on the ball.

The Thunder gave the Battery another scare when a controversial throw-in found Thunder forward Johnny Menyongar behind the Battery defense and one on one with Hudock. But Hudock showed why he is the team MVP by coming out and taking the ball off Menyongar's foot.

With less than five minutes remaining, substitute Brian Hoy found the back of the net after a wonderful run and cross from Ryan Trout. 3-0 to the Battery.

The Battery seemed to have found there way out of difficult streak with a three match winning streak and by clinching the Southeast division championship.