Dayton Dutch Lions News Release -- www.dutchlionfc.com
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
DAYTON, Ohio – The Harrisburg City Islanders got a pair of late goals from Jason Hotchkin and Morgan Langley to secure their place in the USL PRO playoffs with a dramatic 3-2 victory against the Dayton Dutch Lions on Wednesday night at Miami Valley South Stadium.
The Dutch Lions started off playing attractive, attacking soccer, possessing the ball well in the first five minutes. They soon took the lead when in the seventh minute, Happy Hall found Marvin van der Pluijm, who crossed it into the penalty area for Eric Kissinger, who scored his fourth goal of the season to give his side a 1-0 lead.
After the goal, the two teams kept going back and forth with even possession, but neither side was able to create any serious chances. The Dutch Lions, though, scored a second goal in the 29th minute when the ball was recovered by Hall close to the end line. He passed back to van der Pluijm who again centered into the penalty area to allow Kolby LaCrone to double Dayton’s lead.
But the City Islanders pulled a goal back just before halftime through Sainey Touray after David Schofield, an early substitute for Harrisburg, outran Hall on the left side and found Touray to make it 2-1 at the break.
The second half became more physical, with both sides recording six fouls after the break, and as the half wore on Harrisburg began to push for an equalizer. Although Dayton didn’t get many chances in the last couple of minutes, the chances the Dutch Lions created were good, but they, as well as the City Islanders, weren’t able to finish.
That was true until the 90th minute with the score still 2-1, Harrisburg received a free kick from 20 yards out after a foul by the Dutch Lions. Jason Hotchkin, who went in for J.T. Noone in the 60th minute, capitalized on the free kick tying the game up to 2-2.
Several minutes into stoppage time, van der Pluijm, with two assists for the night, had the chance to take the lead as he was put through one-on-one with Harrisburg goalkeeper Chase Harrison, but he wasn’t able to convert. The counter-attack, however, brought Harrisburg victory as Morgan Langley received the ball from Touray after a bad clearance from the Dutch Lions in the penalty box, and put away the game-winning goal.