Battery break curse to advance to second round of Playoffs

by Mike Buytas, a-league.com Match Reporter

07.Sep.2003

For the 2,037 wet fans it was one of the best all around Battery performances in a long time. And it wasn't long into the match before the fans saw the first of three spectacular goals.

The first came at the third minute when Ted Chronopoulos's break and subsequence cross found Paul Conway who calmly flicked it to rookie Chris Goos. Goos then headed the ball past Mariner goalkeeper Matt Nelson. 1-0 to the Battery, 1-1 for the series.

Less than seven minutes later, the Mariners converted off a set piece as Pato Aguiler crossed a ball from just outside the 18 yard box to a waiting Hamisi Amani-Dove whose powerful header beat Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock to level the score at 1-1. 2-1 to the Mariners in the series.

But in the 14 minute the Battery broke on a quick counter to score the third goal and second Battery goal of the night. Chris Goos sent a cross from the midfield line to find an on-running Josh Henderson who one-timed it into the back of the net. Definitely one for the highlight reel. 2-1 to the Battery series evened backed up.

Less than three minutes later, Goos caused a third goal for the Battery when his cross into six-yard box deflected off Mariner defender Russell Hutchison and was sent into the back of the net. The killer goal according to Shawn McDonald quotes in the local newspaper. 3-1 and only 17 minutes into the match.

The remainder of the half started to turn a little chippy with plenty of hard tackles from both sides as the Referee looked like he was going to lose control but the half finished without incident

Chronopuolos and Henderson both had two more good chances in the first half. Both times it looked like they had beaten the Mariner defense with only the Mariner goalkeeper to beat and both times the ball sailed over the cross bar.

Virginia Beach came out strong in the second half forcing two great saves by Dusty Hudock. The first was a stinger of a ball from Dante Washington which Hudock tipped around the goal post. The second was to deny Roy Lassiter during a one-on-one break.

But soon after the Battery put the old proverbial nail in the coffin when Josh Henderson calmly flicked a Conway cross over Nelson and into the back of the net from about ten yards out.

The rest of the match the Mariners tried to break the Battery defense but had trouble getting the ball through a tough Battery midfield.

As the final whistle blew the entire crowd who weathered the rain gave the Battery a standing ovation as the players hugged each other on the field.

And in an act of good sportsmanship after the match several of the Mariner's players and staff joined the celebrating Battery fans in the Three Lions Pub after the match.

Next up, the Rochester Rhinos, a match which will be televised live on Fox Sports World at 8:00pm Friday night. Hopefully, the pub will be open for viewing the match. Hopefully well see another great display by the Battery and hopefully well be starting to make plans for the following weekend.