With a season that has seen more lows than highs, and with the tv limelight shining on them, the Silverbacks saved one of their better performances for last night as they downed the Charleston Batterry 2-1.
While wondering if the game would start on time due to a torrential thunderstorm, which has lately been the norm at Silverback games, Mother Nature finally settled down, not before she would make the night's contest a wet, slippery mess for both teams. Meanwhile, the game's atmosphere had electricity in the air with the Southern Derby Cup on the line, Fox Soccer Channel televising the game live, and most importantly, both teams playing for their playoff lives.
The Silverbacks started the match putting the pressure on Charleston early. In the 6th, Silverback leading goalscorer Fabian Dawkins, which would prove to be a pest to the Batterry defense during the match, had a shot go wide left from about 18 yards out.
In the 10th, again with the ball, Dawkins found himself near the right end line and chipped a shot which sent Batterry keeper John Doyle scrambling backwards to cover the net, but the ball just missed and landed on the roof of the net.
From there it looked like the Batterry would start turning things around. Midfielder Ben Hollingsworth made a nice run at the Silverback defense down the right flank, made a nice cut inside to the left, hit his shot wide left past Silverback keeper Joe Barton and the goal.
Magic then happened for the Silverbacks in the 19th. With Dawkins racing down the right midfield and the Batterry defense cheating over toward him, he went from goalscorer to playmaker, finding Back midfielder Ivailo Ilarionov streaking on the otherside of the field. Ilarionov made a nice first time touch toward the goal and then beat Doyle to the far post for his first goal of the year and a 1-0 lead.
In the 27th minute, off a deflection from a Batterry defender, Back forward Rodrigo Rios blasted a monster header toward goal but straight at Doyle the keeper, who easily handled it.
Still keeping the pressure up, Dawkins found his way into the Batterry penalty area in the 33rd, but he put his right footed blast in the side netting of the goal.
Hollingsworth, who seemed to be the only threat for the Batterry in the 1st half, had another opportunity in the 40th, when he made his way to the top of the Silverback penalty area, but his shot went out of harm's way as it sailed high over the crossbar.
Before the half would end, the Backs would make it 2-0 in what is starting to become a trademark for Atlanta on corner kicks. With defender Antonio de la Torre serving up one of his quick whip corners, he once again found fellow defender Adilson DeLima for a downward header, which went past the Batterry defense and keeper Doyle.
The Backs had another great opportunity before the whistle, but midfielder Joe Afful blasted a 25 yarder wide right of the goal.
The second half kicked off with the Batterry showing they were a team with plenty of life still in them, as they picked up the pace and started to take the fight to Atlanta.
In the 55th, Batterry midfielder Justin Evans had a chance to put Charleston on the board, but he placed his shot from outside right over the crossbar.
Finally in the 77th, the Batterry was awarded a free kick from about 20yds out after a Delima foul. Midfielder Lazo Alavanja hit a curling ball around the Silverback wall. Keeper Barton made a nice saving dive to his left but was unable to hold onto it and Batterry defender Jason Kutney ran onto the rebound, put it past Barton still on the ground to make it 2-1.
It looked like Charleston was going to tie it up a minute later when forward Usiel Vasquez ran onto a break away past the Backs defense and chipped it over Barton into the net, but the lineman's flag was raised as he was called for offsides.
In the 77th, it looked like Charleston was going to score again as the ball found a perfectly placed Alavanja just past the Back defense but still onsides, but his point blank volley inside the 6 was saved by Barton.
The Backs had a nice chance in the 77th when forward Gary Brooks, who had just entered the game made a nice run down the right side toward goal. His shot was saved by Doyle, but midfielder Alex Pineda-Chacon, who had come on just before Brooks, ran onto the rebound and with the net practically empty, as Doyle was just getting up, and a defender scrambling to cover, unbelievably hit his shot off the crossbar, leaving Chacon standing while shaking his head in disgust.
The Batterry had a scary moment in the 80th when Back midfielder Michel Millwood raced down the left flank, sent a low ball across the goalmouth. Doyle came off his line diving onto it, but with Brooks racing onto the loose ball, he ended up clipping Doyle in the head and shoulder area, leaving Doyle down on the ground in pain. After a few moments with the trainers checking him out, Doyle would show his toughness and finish the game.
The Southern Derby Cup was awarded to Atlanta after the series finished with both teams winning at home 2-1, but with the Backs winning it last year outright, they hang onto the Cup for the season.
The win also upped the Silverbacks record to 8-12-3 and pulled them into a 6th place tie with Portland at 27 points apiece. The Batterry dropped to 7-13-4 and into 10th place.
The Silverbacks next home game is next Sunday, the 21st at 5:30pm against the Virginia Beach Mariners featuring former Silverback Alan Woods. The Mariners have been kind of hot lately with the new ownership taking over as well as their new coach James A. Hoffman, as they are 3-1-1 in their last 5 games.
On a personal note, with my son Michael's 15th birthday Friday night and mine Sunday, I would like to thank the Silverback players for kicking off our birthday weekend with a hard fought victory.
Line-ups:
CHAR-Doyle, Bernstien(Martinez-Morales), Hollingsworth, Kopp, Piette(Kutney), Alavanja, Chronopoulos(Smith), Evans, Okoye(Jackson), Khumalo(Perez-Matto), Vazquez-Garcia
ATL-Barton, de la Torre, DeLima, Hayes, Yi, Afful(Lowery), Ilarionov(Millwood), McManus, Murriagui, Dawkins(Brooks), Rios(Pineda-Chacon)
Cautions-
CHAR-Okoye
ATL- Afful, DeLima
Ejections- None
