Battle At The Top

It was an interesting night for Charleston Battery defender O'Brian Woodbine.

Woodbine scored his first goal in a Battery uniform in two years, nearly had an own goal and then was kicked out of the game with 10 minutes left in regulation after receiving his second yellow card.

In a battle between the top two teams in the USL Second Division, the Battery held on for a 1-0 victory over Richmond on Friday night before a crowd of 3,404 at Blackbaud Stadium.

With the win, the Battery improved to 8-3-3 (27 points) overall and moved five points ahead of Richmond, which dropped to 6-4-4 (22 points) in the USL-2 standings. The Battery evened their season series with the Kickers at 2-2-0.

Woodbine, who missed most of last season with a broken foot, could only shake his head in bewilderment after the game.

"It was a strange game for me," Woodbine said. "I scored my first goal for the Battery in two years, then nearly scored on my own team. And finally I was sent off with the red card. I don't think I've ever had a game like that before."

Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser agreed, adding that he had never seen a player kicked off that late in the game for a delay of game penalty.

"O'Brian had a roller coaster of a night," Anhaeuser said. "He had a terrific goal to start the second half. He has that kind of quality around the net. Then just a miscommunication in the back nearly led to an own goal. Then the second yellow card. It was an adventure."

With the Kickers trailing by just two points in the standings, the Battery needed -- and got -- a strong defensive performance. Charleston keeper Tim Melia needed to make just two saves to record his fourth shutout of the season.

"I think we've been a bit unlucky not to get more clean sheets this season," said Charleston defender Colin Falvey. "We had to grind this one out. I knew it was going to be that kind of game because neither team was willing to take many chances with first place on the line."

The Battery nearly took a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute when Lamar Neagle's bending shot from about 25 yards beat Richmond keeper Chase Harrison. But the ball bounced off the goal post.

"That one just missed," Anhaeuser said. "It had the keeper beat, but then it just hit the crossbar. That was a tremendous strike."

Charleston took a 1-0 lead on Woodbine's goal in the 48th minute. After a nice buildup to start the second half, the ball was played at the top of the 18-yard box to Tom Heinemann. Heinemann turned and found an unmarked Woodbine just inside the 18-yard box. Woodbine stepped past a defender and then blasted a shot past Harrison for the score.

"I wasn't sure Tom was going to see me, but he played a great ball through to me," Woodbine said. "I wasn't going to miss from there."

The Kickers appeared to tie the game in the 62nd minute after a bad turnover by the Battery in their half of the field. Matthew Delicate picked up the loose ball and slipped it pass the Battery defensive wall to a wide-open Edson Elcock, who easily scored. But Elcock was ruled offside on the play.

The Kickers continued to pressure the Charleston defense in the 66th minute when midfielder Michael Burke picked up a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box. Melia came off his line and punched Burke's shot over the crossbar to end the threat.

The Battery was forced to play a man down after Woodbine received his second yellow card for delay of game in the 80th minute. Woodbine received his first yellow card in the first half after a hard challenge on Richmond midfielder Luke Vercollone.

"I didn't understand the second yellow card," Woodbine said. "I thought that was a little harsh."

Charleston defender John Wilson and Delicate were both issued red cards in stoppage time after a shoving match between the two teams.

Wilson and Woodbine will miss next Friday night's game with Real Maryland as a result of the red cards.

Headers

--Midfielder Rudolph Mayard (foot) and defenders Mike Zaher (groin) and Yeniel Bermudez (ankle) were not available due to injuries.