Rhinos Keep Winless Streak Alive In Spectacular Fashion
By: Thad Brown
Updated: June 15, 2012
The Rochester Rhinos took a 1:0 lead in the 80th
minute off of midfielder Michael Tanke's first professional goal, but
the City Islanders rallied late to steal a 2:1 victory in Harrisburg on
Friday, June 15th.
Front runner Yann Ekra scored the equalizer in the 86th minute, and Lucky Mkosana scored the game winning goal in the 90th
minute for the City Islanders. The loss leaves Rochester stuck in an
0-3-3 run of form in their last six matches in all competitions, and
they could be in fourth place by the time they kick off on Sunday
afternoon in Pittsburgh.
The
match got off to a promising start for Rochester in the first half.
The Rhinos possessed the ball as they had done in their previous two
home matches against Wilmington
and Richmond, and they were able to keep the City Islanders on their
back foot. Rochester was looking to get behind the City Islanders back
four or change the point of attack with long diagonal balls. They built
over the flanks and provided service into the
box, but the City Islanders back four absorbed the pressure and did not
allow Rochester many good looks on goal. If the longer penetrating
passes were not on, then the Rhinos were content to just possess the
ball. They had a distinct advantage in possession
in the first half, but did not generate a lot of chances to score goals.
The
Rhinos opening chance came in the eighth minute when winger JC Banks
served a ball in from the left flank. Banks service rolled through the
box and found right back Lucas
Fernandez on the far side of the City Islanders penalty area. Fernandez
hit a shot on frame, but City Islanders goalkeeper Nick Noble was able
to parry the bar over the crossbar.
In the 28th
minute the City Islanders got their first chance of the match. Center
back Andrew Marshall served a long ball in behind the Rochester back
four, and Garrett Pettis was in on goal for Harrisburg. He dribbled at
Rhinos goalkeeper Kristian Nicht in the one v.
one situation and shot the ball to the near post. Nicht dove to his
left and made a big save to keep the score level at zero.
The
Rhinos responded five minutes later with a shot that glanced of the
City Islanders post. Banks got loose down the right flank and
served a ball to forward Tom McManus at the penalty spot. McManus flick
the cross to the back post with a header. McManus' shot beat Noble,
but ticked off the far post and went wide.
The match was tied 0:0 at half time.
City
Islanders manager Billy Becher made three changes at half time to try
to alter the flow of the match. He inserted Mkosana and Ekra,
the eventual goal scorrs for the City Islanders, and midfielder Tom
Mellor. His side responded almost immediately and had two chances in
the first five minutes of the second half. Mellor drove a shot with
pace from thirty yards out in the 48th
minute, but it was right at Nicht. One minute later Ekra was fouled by
Rhinos captain Troy Roberts just outside the Rochester penalty area, but
Mellor's ensuing free kick was once again right at Nicht.
In the 64th
minute the City Islanders were rewarded with a dubious corner kick by
the head referee, and they almost converted it into the match's opening
goal. Jason Pelletier's corner kick was flicked onto the Rhinos goal at
the near post, and Nicht was forced to make
a reflex save to keep the ball out. Ekra was the first to the rebound,
and he beat Nicht with his effort only to have the ball cleared off the
line by Roberts. Rhinos center back Georgios Kyriazis cleared the ball
to safety for Rochester to end the threat.
Rhinos
head coach Jesse Myers made two influential changes of his own
immediately after the City Islanders chance. McManus had to leave
the match due to an injury, so he inserted Quavas Kirk in as a right
winger. It was the first time that Kirk had played a position other
than right back this season. He also took off starting striker Andrew
Hoxie and inserted Isaac Kissi. It was Kissi's
first appearance of the season for Rochester. He was the team's leading
scorer in 2010, and he had the team's best strike rate last season.
Myer's substitutions paid dividends in the 80th
minute as Rochester opened the scoring. Kirk was played in behind the
City Islanders back four with a long diagonal ball. After he dribbled
and drew a defender he dropped the ball to Fernandez. Fernandez hit a
shot on frame that was cleared by the City Islanders
defense. The clearance came right to Tanke. He took a touch and
blasted a shot from 35 yards out. It took a slight deflection off of
City Islanders center back Dustin Bixler's head at the top of the box
and went into the lower left corner of the net.
The
Rochester lead lasted for six minutes until the City Islanders found
the equalizer. Ekra made a great run off the ball between Roberts,
Kyriazis, and Rhinos left back Jack Traynor that opened up enough space
for Pelletier to find him with a chipped ball in from the right flank.
Ekra was able to take a quick touch that wrong-footed Nicht before
slipping it by him for the equalizer.
In the 89th
minute Nicht was able to keep the score level at 1:1 with a kick save on
a Mkosana shot, but he could do nothing to keep the rookie out one
minute later. Right back TJ Duckett pushed forward and got loose on the
right flank. He served a ball into the box
on the ground. Mkosana ran onto the ball with a well-timed run, and he
was able to one time it past a diving Nicht for a 2:1 City Islanders
lead.
The
Rochester Rhinos are now winless in their last six matches in all
competitions. Fourth place Richmond plays two matches before Rochester
kicks off on Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh at 3PM. If Richmond wins
both matches, then they could overtake the Rhinos in the standings.
However, a Rochester victory in Pittsburgh will guarantee that they exit
the weekend in third place in the table.
