Two world class goals lift Dayton Dutch Lions FC over Pittsburgh Riverhounds in standings and 11 points in last 6 games.
Dayton, July 18 2012 - The Dayton Dutch Lions FC made short work of the Harrisburg City Islanders for a 2-1 win in the second of two Islanders encounters this week. After Saturday’s 0-0 draw at the Islanders’ stadium, the DDL returned home to finish the series with the win. The Lions came back from an early 1-0 behind and scored two beautiful goals with great passing through Bardsley and Bartels.
Harrisburg struck first in the 9th minute after Lion’s defender Nixon Dias lost the ball near the midfield and had to track back to commit a foul to stop the Islander’s run on goal. The resulting free kick by Tom Mellor bounced off Matt Williams’ glove, up and off the top bar for the first goal of the game.
A little over 10 minutes after the Islander’s goal, defender Taylor Lord came on for Dias. The defensive pressure continued through the 34th minute when Yann Ekra was wide open at the top of the box with a straight shot on goal, but Williams was able to hit the ball out for a corner.
The Lions tied the game in the 38th minute after Akeem Priestley passes to Gerrit-Jan Bartels on the outside and promptly received the ball back as he made a run to the middle of the box. Priestley touched the ball outside to Gibson Bardsley, who scored his fourth goal of the season. Keeping with the defensive changes, Bret Jones is subbed out in the 40th minute for the fresh legs of Kyle Knotek.
“The goal we made was unbelievable, said Coach Ivar Van Dinteren. “From the book! It was from the Priestley on the left to Bartels the right, back again and with a clear finish by Bardsley. At half I told the boys, we need more intensity and pressure, not individually but as a team.”
The second half saw more possession and pushing forward by Harrisburg but the Lions pulled ahead in the 51st minute with another great goal. Joel DeLass fed the ball to Kyle Knotek who, off a back pass, hit the ball to Bartels for his first goal of the season.
The second goal increased the pressure Harrisburg put on the Lions, with two substitutions in ten minutes increasing their attacking presence. In the 73rd minute Joseph Noone hit the ball from the corner to Garret Pettis who shot, but the ball deflected off Williams’, back to Pettis and Williams recording a second save.
The heavy Islanders pressure provided the Lions with opportunities to counter. Substitute Daniel Holowaty thrilled the crowd with a breakaway chip to Eric Kissinger, but having no support allowed Harrisburg to kick the ball out for a Lion’s corner in the 86th minute. Three minutes later, Toric Robinson had another breakaway but excitedly shot high.
“At that point, they were trying to play everything or nothing,” said Van Dinteren. “We locked it in at the end and Matt Williams saved us all.”
Dayton heads into the weekend on the road, with a Friday night game in North Carolina against the Wilmington Hammerheads (7-6-5), after the 4-0 win at home June 23. Immediately following, Saturday’s visit will find the DDL in Virginia’s City Stadium where they’ll meet the Richmond Kickers (6-6-5), the second match-up of the season.