Harrisburg City Islanders News Release - www.cityislanders.com
Friday, August 5, 2011
HARRISBURG, Penn. – The Harrisburg City Islanders battled F.C. New York to a scoreless draw in their regular season home finale at Skyline Sports Complex on Friday night before a crowd of 1,733. Chase Harrison made four saves in goal for Harrisburg, recording his fourth shutout of the year.
The tie eliminated F.C. New York from playoff contention.
With the point, the City Islanders, who have two games remaining in the regular season, move to 9-6-7 (34 points) and extend their lead to three points over the third-place Los Angeles Blues in the National Division. The Blues fell 2-1 to Wilmington on Friday night. A second-place finish would give playoff-bound Harrisburg a home match in the postseason’s opening round.
Neither side could find much of an offensive flow through the first 20 minutes. New York (4-11-7, 19 pts) threatened first when, in the 24th minute, midfielder Don Smart cut into the penalty area from the left wing and had a right-footed pop. Harrison was up to the challenge, parrying the ball over.
Harrisburg responded in short order. After Andrew Welker saw his 25-yard try scooped up by New York keeper Thorne Holder (26th minute) and Andrew Marshall sent a header high following a Jason Pelletier free kick (30th), Sainey Touray found himself with the best chance of the half. Welker forced a turnover just inside his own half and popped the ball out for Touray on the left wing. Touray, with plenty of space, moved inside the area and decided to go low on Holder, but the New York keeper rushed out and got down to in time to turn the chance away. The game stayed scoreless at the half.
The visitors had the first chance of the second half as well, as Harrison stretched to turn aside Steve Roche’s try in the 50th minute. Harrison would later deny Smart once again, stifling him in the 70th minute, to preserve his shutout.
The City Islanders nearly found the goal they were looking for a handful of times, typically only to be frustrated by Holder, who finished with seven saves. He was at his best in the 60th minute, when he once again rejected Touray from close range, and in the 86th minute, on a fine reaction save to a thunderous Jason Pelletier volley. He also got some help from the crossbar, which denied Brian Ombiji in the 63rd minute. Holder’s final save of the night – steering away a Morgan Langley attempt in stoppage time – sent New York home with a point.
Notes: The City Islanders close out their regular season with two road games next week: on Wed., Aug 10, in Charlotte (7:00 p.m.) and Fri., Aug. 12, at Orlando City (7:35 p.m.)…Los Angeles has three games remaining, two of them at home…Despite the draw, New York was eliminated from playoff contention. (Harrisburg, PA, August 5, 2011) – The Harrisburg City Islanders battled FC New York to a scoreless draw in their regular season home finale at Skyline Sports Complex on Friday night before a crowd of 1,733. Chase Harrison made four saves in goal for Harrisburg, recording his fourth shutout of the year.