Rhinos Lose On Hall of Fame Night
By: Thad Brown
Updated: June 30, 2012
The Rochester Rhinos
lost to the City Islanders 2:1 in Sahlen's Stadium. After a scoreless
first half Lucky Mkosana scored the opening goal in the 52nd minute, and substitute
Drew Yates scored the game winning goal in the 83rd minute for Harrisburg. Rochester Rhinos emerging star JC Banks got a goal back in the 89th
minute, but time ran out on Rochester. The Rhinos
remain in third place in the USL PRO table and will look to regroup
quickly as they host bottom of the table Antigua FC on Wednesday, July 4th in Sahlen's Stadium.
The Rhinos opened with
the first chance of the match. In the ninth minute center midfielder
Danny Earls and Banks pressed City Islanders right back Bilal Duckett.
The ball popped loose to Earls and he crossed
it to the far post. Striker Tom McManus just missed connecting with a
header and the ball sailed past the post.
In the 13th
minute an errant Harrisburg pass out of the back was intercepted by an
onrushing Jack Traynor. Traynor found Banks on the left wing at the top
of the box. Banks
ran at a City Islanders defender and shot the ball on goal, but keeper
Nick Noble made a diving save to keep the ball out.
The heat took a toll on
both clubs as the first half wore on. The temperature was ninety
degrees at kickoff and was ten degrees warmer on the field turf in
Sahlen's Stadium. Both teams were content to alternate
possession in the middle third. The ball was frequently out of play
giving the players on the pitch a chance to recover.
Just as the pace of
Harrisburg's three pronged attack of Yann Ekra, Lucky Mkosana, and Brian
Ombiji began to put the Rhinos under pressure, Rochester responded with
two chances. In the 31st
minute right winger Quavas Kirk served a ball into the box. Defender
Greg Jordan could not get a foot to the ball, and it fell to McManus who
couldn't get a shot on target.
The final chance of the first half fell to Rochester in the 35th
minute. Rosenlund and center midfielder Michael Tanke pressed the City
Islanders into a turnover in the attacking
half of the pitch. Rosenlund won possession and played a ball into
Banks feet. Banks dribbled the ball through midfield and drove into the
City Islanders penalty box. He played McManus through, but his shot
was right at Noble from a deteriorating angle.
The City Islanders opened the second half by putting the Rhinos under immediate pressure. In the 52nd
minute midfielder Jason Pelletier played a brilliant ball over the head
of Rochester left back Jack Traynor and into the path of an onrushing
Morgan Langley. Langley crossed the ball across the top of the six yard
box and City Islanders striker Lucky Mkosana finished his chance to
give his team a 1:0 lead.
While the Rhinos
struggled to regain their composure, goalkeeper Kristian Nicht and
captain Troy Roberts were steady in the back to keep Rochester in the
match.
In the 53rd
minute a ball popped out to Pelletier twenty five yards away from the
Rhinos goal. Pelletier drove the ball on target, but a diving save from
Nicht kept the Rochester
deficit at one.
In the 71st
minute Quavas Kirk was booked and Mkosana took the ensuing free kick
for the City Islanders. Lucky bent his free kick around the Rhinos two
man wall, but it was
Nicht to the Rhinos rescue again with a diving save to his near post.
In the 77th
minute the Rhinos got caught on a counter attack and Ekra got in behind
the Rhinos back four at midfield. Roberts chased Ekra down for sixty
yards and made a sliding
tackle to block his shot.
Harrisburg was able to find their second goal in the 83rd
minute. After a good build-up the City Islanders put substitute Teddy
McLaughlin in behind on the right flank. McLaughlin
crossed the ball to Mkosana at the near post. Lucky was not able to get
his effort on target, but Yates tapped the ball in at the far post.
Rochester introduced the possibility of a comeback to the 6,592 fans in attendance in the 88th minute. After laying siege to the City Islanders penalty area, Earls played a
cheeky chip to Banks at the far post. Banks was able to finish the free header past a diving Noble.
Ultimately time ran out on the Rhinos and the final score was 2:1.
The Rochester Rhinos next home match is Wednesday, July 4th at 8PM in Sahlen's Stadium against Antigua.
The Rochester Rhinos next home match is Wednesday, July 4th at 8PM in Sahlen's Stadium against Antigua.
