City Islanders End Scoreless In Harrisburg
Published on July 13, 2012 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Penn FC News Release
HARRISBURG, Pa.- The City Islanders controlled possession for most of their match against the visiting Dayton Dutch Lions, but were unable to capitalize in a night of missed opportunities for the home team.
Harrisburg met a far different team than the one they defeated 4-0 earlier in the season. Despite being outshot 15 to five, the Dutch Lions were able to ride physical play and an eight-save effort from goalkeeper Matt Williams to secure a point on the road.
Hoping to match the offensive showing they displayed in their previous meeting with the Dutch Lions, Harrisburg started three forwards and looked to be aggressive from the start. The Islanders also pushed up their outside backs in the first half, hoping to stretch the field horizontally against the compressed Dayton defense. Right back Bilal Duckett ventured forward several times looking to serve in long crosses, but the few that found strikers Yann Ekra, Lucky Mkosana and Brian Ombiji were either poked wide, hit long or stymied by the busy Williams.
Midfielder Morgan Langley, who added two shots in the first half for the Islanders, commented on his side's difficulty in taking advantage of their several scoring chances. "We realize that this isn't the same team we beat 4-0," he said after the game. "As I'm watching from the bench, I saw that each time we got the ball, they had seven guys compacted at the top of the box. It's a much different team; it's much harder to score on them than the last time we played them. I think it's a wakeup call that today, some of these teams we played earlier are now better at the end of the season like any team would be."
At halftime, Langley was subbed out for Tom Mellor, who the Islanders attempted to run their offense through in the second half. The English-born midfielder showed poise and quickness on the left side of the pitch, creating consecutive scoring chances in the 55th . A give-and-go with fellow sub Sainey Touray ended with a skidding shot from the Gambian, which Williams crouched low for to scoop up the save and another Islander opportunity. Seconds later, Mellor launched a tantalizing cross - inches from a sliding Mkosana - that drew groans of disappointment from the 1,236 in attendance.
In the 69th, Mellor and the Islanders created their best chance of the night, when the 21-year-old broke free from his defender and went one on one with Williams. It would be the Dayton keeper, however, that would triumph as Williams calmly cut off the angle and dove to stifle Mellor's attempt.
A just-wide shot in the 90th by Touray would mark the end of a disappointing night for the Islanders, and a gutsy road effort for the Dutch Lions.
The tie puts Harrisburg at 6-4-6, still in the thick of the playoff hunt in USL PRO. But Langley believed his team could move up the standings and better their position if they begin "to play to the team's potential."
"I think we've got to be more consistent so that we're able to be in the top three going into playoffs," Langley said. "It's all still possible in the USL at this point, and for us, it's somewhere where we should be."
The draw sends the Dutch Lions to 2-8-7 on the season. The two teams will reconvene in Dayton on Wednesday for their third and final matchup this season. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 13, 2012
- Quick-Start Kickers Claim Crucial Victory - Richmond Kickers
- City Islanders End Scoreless In Harrisburg - Penn FC
- First Versus Second Match-Up for Orlando City Lions on Saturday - Orlando City SC
- Hammerheads, Battery to Make First Encounter Saturday - Wilmington Hammerheads FC
- Battery Squares off with Wilmington on Thank You Heroes Night - Charleston Battery
- Kickers Announce Trio of Player Signings - Richmond Kickers
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