Charleston Battery News Release -- www.charlestonbattery.com
Friday, May 26, 2011
Charleston, S.C. - The Charleston Battery welcome the Harrisburg City Islanders to Blackbaud Stadium Saturday night for a USL PRO match; gates open at 6 p.m. and kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The Battery enter the game on the back of a 2-1 victory against the Richmond Kickers.
After conceding one of the quickest goals in Charleston Battery history (timed at just over 25 seconds) the players responded well and leveled the score through a Dane Kelly breakaway goal in the 26th minute.
The game-winner was scored by Jon Gruenewald in the 76th minute, who came off the bench to earn Charleston all three points. Both Kelly and Gruenewald’s goals were their first for the Battery.
The result lifts the Battery (4-4-2) into fourth position in the American Division, four points behind Antigua Barracuda FC.
Charleston head coach Mike Anhaeuser should have close to a complete squad available for Saturday’s fixture as forward Levi Coleman returns to full fitness. Goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra (foot), defender Graham Dugoni (back) and midfielder Cole Peverley (ankle) are the only players unavailable for selection.
Battery captain John Wilson served a one-game suspension on Tuesday but will be available on Saturday.
The Harrisburg City Islanders (1-2-2) enter the match in fourth position in the National Division. Harrisburg is looking to bounce back from a 3-1 home loss to Orlando City in a game played last Saturday night.
The City Islanders' lone win in 2011 came at home in a game played on May 10 against the Rochester Rhinos.
In 2010 Charleston and Harrisburg met four times in the regular season with the Battery winning twice, losing once and one game finishing tied.
Harrisburg is led by head coach Bill Becher who has coached the City Islanders since their inception in 2005. Becher earned USL-2 coach of the year honors in 2005 and led Harrisburg to its only championship in 2007.