Patterson's goal lifts Charleston

After losing back-to-back games to Puerto Rico last weekend, the Charleston Battery was due for a better result.

And that's what the Battery got.

Randi Patterson had a goal in the first half and Dusty Hudock made four saves, including a two crucial stops in the final minute to lead Charleston past the Islanders, 1-0, Thursday night before a crowd of 4,681 at Blackbaud Stadium.

With the victory, the Battery moved back into first place in the USL First Division with a 7-2-6 (27 points) record. The Islanders dropped to 7-3-4 (25 points).

"We needed this win to get our confidence back," Battery defender Frankie Sanfilippo said. "We came so close to getting a good result down in Puerto Rico that we needed to get this win. We probably deserved a better fate last weekend."

It was a physical game, as the two teams met for the third time in a week.

"That's usually what happens when you've played against the same team in such a short period of time," said Battery coach Mike Anhaeuser. "Puerto Rico is a very direct team. They've got some physical guys, and neither team was going to back down."

The Battery's defense was solid again, allowing just nine shots and a handful of quality scoring chances.

"The back four was fantastic again and then Dusty came up with a couple of big saves at the end," Anhaeuser said.

With the game still very much in doubt late in stoppage time, Hudock preserved his league-leading ninth shutout, with a leaping punch off a blistering shot from Kendal Jadeosingh from about 20 yards out.

Seconds after Hudock's save, the Battery captain was forced to make another stop during a scrum after a corner kick. The two teams nearly came to blows following the play as Hudock was kicked in the head by an Islanders player.

"I didn't see much of what happened," Hudock said. "I was busy getting kicked in the head."

The Battery grabbed a 1-0 lead on Patterson's fourth goal of the season in the 30th minute.

The play started with a turnover on the Battery's side of midfield. Darren Spicer picked up the loose ball and slid it to midfielder Chris Williams. Williams sprayed the ball to the right flank to a sprinting Sanfilippo. Sanfilippo crossed the ball into the six-yard box to Kenji Treschuk, who headed it to a wide-open Patterson just to the left of the net. Patterson settled the ball and blasted it past Islanders goalie Bill Gaudette for the score.

"Down in Puerto Rico I had a chance at a similar goal and rushed it and missed the shot," Patterson said. "This time, I wanted to take my time and make sure I finished it."

The Battery nearly took a two-goal lead in the 72nd minute when Scott Buete fed Spicer the ball just outside the 18-yard box. Spicer turned the corner on Islanders defender Nigel Henry and blasted a shot on net, but his attempt sailed just over the crossbar to end the threat.

Headers

--The Battery wore all black uniforms for the first time to honor Betsy McAdams, the team's long-time chief operating officer, who died of brain cancer on June 18.

McAdams had been with the team since 1993.

--Midfielders Ian Fuller (hamstring) and Tsuyoshi Yoshitake (hamstring) were out of the lineup with injuries.

--The Battery honored the Kelly Cup champion South Carolina Stingrays at halftime.