Islanders hand Battery second straight defeat

Bayamon, P.R. — The Puerto Rico Islanders handed the Charleston Battery its second straight loss, 1-0, on Saturday night at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in front of 2,315.

Forward Nicholas Addlery's header past Battery goalie, Keith Wiggans, midway through the second half lifted the Islanders to victory.

Puerto Rico (7-3-4, 25 points) leapfrogged Charleston (6-2-6, 24 points) atop the USL First Division standings.

The teams play for the third time in eight days when they square off on Thursday at 8 p.m. at Blackbaud Stadium.

Charleston attacked from the starting whistle and came close to scoring in the fourth minute as midfielder Chris William whipped a cross in from the left.

Forward Dan Antoniuk met the ball, but his header dropped harmlessly to goalkeeper Bill Gaudette who gathered it at the farpost.

The Battery threatened in the 11th minute after Tyler Hemming picked out forward Darren Spicer with a precise pass, but Spicer missed the ball allowing the Islanders to clear.

Puerto Rico controlled the ball after the break and its efforts were rewarded in the 55th minute after midfielder Fabrice Noel got around defender Nigel Marples on the left flank.

Noel chipped a cross into the middle and Addlery slammed his header past Wiggans into the back of the goal.