Battery's rally falls short against Atlanta

Silverbacks 2, Battery 1

Atlanta - The Charleston Battery lost to the Atlanta Silverbacks 2-1 on Saturday night at Re Max Greater Atlanta Stadium.

Midfielder Stephen Armstrong scored the lone Battery goal as Charleston's second-half fight back fell just short.

The loss drops Charleston, (7-9-5, 26 points) back into ninth in the USL First Division standings and Atlanta (8-7-5, 29 points) moves past the Battery into sixth.

The Battery created the first chance of the game in the 5th minute after striker Andre Toussaint was brought down at the edge of the box. Midfielder Lazo Alavanja took the ensuing free kick, but his curling effort missed just high.

Atlanta opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a fine individual goal from forward Dan Antoniuk.

Antoniuk broke clear of Battery defender Kevin Nylen 20 yards out. He dribbled into the penalty-area then shot the ball into the bottom right corner past Charleston goalie Dusty Hudock.

Two minutes later the Silverbacks doubled their lead from the penalty spot after David Hayes tangled with Battery defender Louie Rolko in the box.

The Battery players protested the decision but the referee held firm and Hayes drove the ball past Hudock for the goal.

Charleston fought back in the 66th minute with a strike from Stephen Armstrong.

Toussaint slipped the ball to just outside the box. Armstrong cut to the left of his marker then fired a shot across goalkeeper Ryan McIntosh into the far corner of the goal.

Armstrong came close to scoring a tying goal in the last moments of the game after forward Aaron King sent a pass through to him on the left side.

Armstrong drilled the ball toward the goal, but McIntosh managed to turn the shot over the bar with a fingertip save.