Charleston Defeats Richmond 2-0 Opens Season with Road Win

The Charleston Battery defeated the Richmond Kickers tonight (Saturday, April 19, 2003), by a score of two goals to none in front of 1118 at U of R Stadium. Newcomers, Kevin Jackson and Josh Henderson supplied the goals as the Battery opened its 2003 A-League campaign.

The first chance of the game came in the 3rd minute. Charleston forced a neat sequence of passes down the right touch-line. The ball was crossed into the Richmond box then cleared to Battery midfielder Kevin Jackson at the edge of the area. Jackson took a touch then fired at the goal but his shot was parried away by Richmond defender, Kevin Knight.

Charleston threatened again in the 17th minute with two shots in sequence from Ryan Trout. The second shot was blocked out to defender Andrew Lewis. Lewis hit the ball first-time from just outside the penalty area but his shot sailed over the bar.

The Battery scored the go-ahead goal in the 38th minute. The ball was swept from the middle out to midfielder Ryan Trout on the right wing. Trout dribbled past two defenders, cut towards the goal and whipped a cross into the middle. Kevin Jackson met the ball at the edge of the 6-yard box and snapped a header past Kickers goalkeeper, Ronnie Pascale.

Richmond almost tied the game in the 48th minute but former Battery striker, Mike Burke’s shot cannoned back off the near post.

In the 79th minute, Josh Henderson doubled Charleston’s lead. Ryan Trout again sent a swerving ball into the goal-mouth. Henderson headed down and the ball deflected back to him off a Richmond defender. With the ball at his feet he calmly picked his spot and drilled past Pascale into the Richmond goal.

Richmond pressed late in the game and made several attacking substitutions. Veteran forward, Rob Ukrop subbed in but his best chance was smothered with a diving save by Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock.

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