Battery Hammers Hampton

The Charleston Battery, unable to finish any of an array of scoring chances in Saturday’s (April 30, 2002) season opener, had no such difficulties in its first A-League road game of the 2002 season. Strike-partners, Paul Conway and Mac Cozier each scored two goals as the Battery cruised to a 5-1 victory over the Hampton Roads Mariners at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex on Tuesday night.

Conway opened the scoring in the eighth minute off a Morgan Zeba, in-swinging corner kick. Zeba swept the ball over the first defender guarding the near post. With a flick of his head, Conway redirected the ball past Mariners keeper, Tim Figuerdo, into the back of the net.

Two minutes later, Battery defender, Andrew Lewis, slotted a ball through the defense and Cozier ran onto the pass, faked the keeper and drove a shot into the bottom left corner.

The Mariners’ Steve Butcher cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 11th minute with an unassisted strike. He surprised Battery keeper, Dusty Hudock with a speculative shot from outside the 18-yard box.

Charleston restored its two-goal advantage in the 22nd minute. Mark Watson launched a long throw into the box. The ball dropped into a crowd of players but Jon Wilson was quickest to react. He latched onto the loose ball and from a tight angle, punched a shot past the keeper.

In the second half, the Battery upped it to 4-1 just before the hour mark. Amid a spell of sustained Battery pressure, Conway collected the ball at the end line inside the penalty area. He glanced up and floated the ball toward the back post where Cozier snapped home a header.

In the 84th minute, new Charleston signee Raul Diaz Arce played an inch perfect pass, behind the defense to Conway’s feet. Conway turned way from a defender, and with the keeper stranded, directed the ball into the goal.

The Battery outshot the Mariners 18-10 and had eight corners to Hampton Roads five. Figuerdo had eight saves. Dusty Hudock played the first hour in goal before giving way to Todd Hoffard. The Battery keepers combined for five saves.

text taken from wayback machine