Mayard's 2 goals spark Battery

Pierre-Rudolph Mayard scored in the opening game of the season, but had not scored since.

His four-game drought wasn't becoming an issue for the young Montreal Impact product, but it was starting to creep into his subconscious.

Mayard put all that anxiety to rest Saturday night against Harrisburg.

Mayard finished with two goals and Lamar Neagle added another goal to lead Charleston past Harrisburg, 3-1, before a crowd of 3,226 at Blackbaud Stadium.

It was the third straight victory for the Battery, which improved to 4-0-1 (13 points) and remained in first place in the USL Second Division. Harrisburg dropped to 0-3-1 (1 point).

The Battery controlled the game from outset scoring twice in the first half and limiting the Islanders just one quality scoring chance in the first 60 minutes of the game.

"The guys did a great job overall," said Charleston Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser. "Really besides a five or 10-minute stretch where Harrisburg scored, we really played well on both ends of the field. We're going to score goals.

"We're not going to sit back. We've got a lot of young legs on this team and we're going to take advantage of that."

The Battery grabbed a 1-0 lead on Neagle's header off a set piece in the 23rd minute.

After Tom Heinemann drew a foul from Harrisburg defender Dustin Bixler, the Battery was awarded a free kick from about 35 yards out on the right side. Midfielder Stephen Armstrong curled a ball into the near post that Neagle redirected past Harrisburg keeper Tomer Chencinski for the score. It was the second goal in as many games for the former Seattle FC midfielder.

The Battery pushed their advantage to 2-0 on Mayard's free kick in the 44th minute.

Mayard made a strong run down the right flank and had almost gotten past the Islanders back four. Mayard cut to the middle of the field and was taken down by Bixler just outside the 18-yard box.

Mayard lined up for the free kick and blasted a shot past Chencinski for the score.

"We work on free kicks every day in practice and that was just a lot of hard work that paid off," Mayard said.

The Islanders cut the lead in half on Jason Hotchkin's header after a scramble in front of the net in the 65th minute.

Mayard gave the Battery a little more breathing room with his second goal of the night off a corner kick in the 84th minute to give Charleston a 3-1 lead.

"It was a perfect ball into me," Mayard said. "I was wide open and the ball was right where it needed to be."

Midfielder Kevin Jackson sent a curling ball into the six-yard box that Mayard snapped past Chencinski for the score.

"That was just a fantastic corner by Kevin and a great finish by Rudolph," Anhaeuser said. "Rudolph has the ability to finish with his head and really showed his quality on that corner."

Headers

@Defender O'Brian Woodine (leg) and Jon Gruenewald (hip) were out of the lineup with injuries.

@Referee Sedara Ertep was replaced in the second half by Alan Schechtman. No reason was given.