Charleston take on Orlando

Saturday, the Charleston Battery will take on Orlando City FC in the first regular season match up. 

The Battery faced Orlando in a tight match during the US Open Cup but a defensive error gave the visiting team the 1-0 win.

Orlando is currently the top of USL Pro, where as Charleston is sitting in third place in the American Division.   With the American Division standings very tight, a win is vital for the Battery to keep ahead of a emerging Charlotte and Wilmington teams. 

The Battery look to have a full squad available with the exception of JC Mack (foot).  Defender Graham Dugoni returned to training this week after a long absence due to a back injury.  Former Battery midfielder Ian Fuller, now an assistant/player coach with Orlando, began training this week after nursing a injury but it is uncertain if he will play.   



The Battery may be able to take advantage of a tired Orlando squad.  They play a match Friday night against the Dayton Dutch Lions in Orlando.  They will then make the 6 to 7 hour trek up the I-95 to Charleston and play the Battery less than 24 hours later. 


The Regiment will also be hosting a large tailgate.  More than 50 fans from Orlando will be make the trip up to the match and we are having an eclectic menu:  hot dogs, spare ribs and a couple types of curry!  please come by and join us. 


The Regiment will also be collecting money and clothes for the Andrew Pascoe family.  Andrew is a big Battery and Regiment supporter who's house was loss to a fire on Wednesday morning.  Everyone in the family made it out safely but they lost everything in the fire.  

Please come by and put something in the jar at the tailgate.  If you can't make the tailgate, The Regiment will be raffling off an autographed Battery jersey and proceeds from the raffle will also go the Pascoe family.  Raffle tickets are $1 or 6 for $5 and will be available under the West Stands before the match and during half-time.

The Battery are also offering family four packs for the match.  $30 gets you four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks.  Contact the Battery for more details.

And if that's not enough for you, the annual Clash of the Carolinas will be taking place prior to the the Battery match.  The Clash of the Carolinas pits the top high school boys and girls from South Carolina against the top from North Carolina.  The girls match starts at 1:30pm and the boys match at 4:00pm. For rosters and more information check out the Clash of the Carolinas website .

Second Round US Open Cup vs...Orlando City FC

Charleston will take on high flying Orlando City FC in the second round of the US Open Cup on Tuesday, June 21 at 7:30pm.  The match will be played at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina.


Charleston have a long history of advancing to the later stages of the US Open Cup and you can bet this year is no different for the club.  Orlando City will be a stern test but one that Battery will feel up for.   It is rumored New Zealand international Cole Peverley was training last week and participated in an inter squad match.  Even if Cole isnt ready for the full 90 minutes, it will be good to have him on the bench as it looks like Diego Walsh will not be available as he has flown to Thailand to participate in a trial. 

Also questionable are JC Mack and Graham Dugoni.

Coach Anhauesuer will prove his 2010 USL-2 coach of the year status this week with player selection limited and at least three matches in five matches.  If the Battery advance past Orlando, they will face FC Dallas in the third round of the US Open Cup in Texas making it the fourth match in seven days.  Crazy for even the deepest of teams.

Orlando City will be coming in looking for the win.  The Battery defense will have to neutralize league leading scorer Max Griffin and watch the threat of Jamie Watson.  The Orlando City goalkeeper, Miguel Gallardo, has a league high of seven shutouts and looks to be one of the USL Pro's top keepers, but he also has the league second highest save rate, something that could indicate a defense that could help him out more. 

The match will also herald the return of fan favorite Ian Fuller to the 'Baud.  Fuller is acting as player/assistant coach with Orlando City FC.

The Stadium will be configured only for West Stand seating once again.  We have also been told that the match will air live on www.USLlive.com. 

Up the Battery!

Another Local Soccer Blog

This one started up a little over a week ago and here is part three in a series, Top Ten South Carolina Soccer Stories of 2010: 3-1...:

"In the last two days, we've reviewed the number 10 through number 4 soccer stories in South Carolina this year. Here are the top three to wr..."

Check out their archives for the first two parts and some other good articles.

Where Are They Now....Oct 3...

This weekend was the final week of the regular USSF D2 action.  And across the pond, IFK Mariehamn continues to fight against relegation in the Finish league.

Tommy Heinemann scored his fourth goal in six matches Friday night for the Carolina Railhawks.  A powerful shot that Austin Aztex keeper got a hand to but couldn't keep from trickling across the goal line.   Carolina won the NASL conference and will take on the NSC Minnesota Stars in a home and away playoff series starting on Wednesday in Minnesota.

Mayard still is looking to open up his goal tally in Montreal.  Montreal start their playoff run playing Ian Fuller and the Austin Aztex in Montreal on Wednesday as well. 

In Finland, Lamar Neagle scored a goal in IFK Mariehamn's 2-1 defeat against MyPa on Saturday.  IFK sit four spots above the relegation zone with two games remaining in the regular season.

Where are They Now?

It’s been two weeks since the Charleston Battery won the 2010 Championship match but Battery players are still plying their trade.


Tommy Heinemann played a full 90 minutes with the Carolina Railhawks against the MLS bound Portland Timbers. The match ended 0-0 but Heinemann was very active with six shots and doing the dirty work up top that he is known for, was also credited with five fouls.

Lamar Neagle’s new club, IFK Mariehamn played one of the Finnish league’s hot team, TPS. Lamar didn’t feature in IFK’s surprising 2-1 victory over TPS but it not surprising as only arrived last weekend.

Ian Fuller came on as a second half substitute for the Austin Aztex in Puerto Rico Saturday night. Austin lost the match 3-1, after scoring in the first half but gave up three goals in the second.

Rudolph Mayard got a few minutes playing time Wednesday for Montreal in their 2-1 victory over Puerto Rico.

Kyle Reynish, who got played 3 games with the Battery while on loan from MLS outfit, Real Salt Lake, kept a clean sheet as he logged 90 minutes in the 0-0 match against the Seattle Sounders.

O’Brian Woodbine looks like he is heading back to Jamaica to play for his country’s Premier League in recently promoted team Reno of Westmoreland.

Levi Coleman has headed home to Kansas City and has expressed interest in playing indoor in the off season

Moving On Up...

It's that time of year again.  The time where players from the lower division teams start thinking about how they're are going to spend their off season and for some, how they are going to pay the car payment!

For a few Battery players that question is already answered, at least for a couple more months. 

The past week has seen several Battery players move to other teams.  The terms of these signings are notoriously hard to find out about but here is what we know so far.

Battery forward, Lamar Neagle has signed with IFK Mariehamm of the Finnish 3rd division for the remainder of there season.  IFK is currently second from the bottom of their table with six matches remaining.  I imagine they need someone to score goals and Lamar has proven he can do that. 

Battery midfielder and assistant coach Ian Fuller signed with the Austin Aztex of the USSF D2.  Austin at the top of the table with Rochester and looking to win a championship.  They have also brought in former Battery players, Randi Patterson and Yoshi from Crystal Palace Baltimore, which looks to have been off loaded by a sinking ship.

Tommy Heinemann has already made an impact with his new team, the Carolina Railhawks.  Heinemann played 61 min against Crystal Palace Baltimore last night in Cary, NC drawing a Penalty and scoring a goal in the 89th min. 

Also completing their loans with Charleston, Tim Melia returned to Real Salt Lake after the Champions match.  Pierre-Rudolph Mayard returned to the  Montreal Impact after the regular season was completed.   Mayard has been getting a few minutes in the last couple Montreal matches.   Hopefully someone sent Mayard, who was a big part in the Battery's success this season, his championship medal.  He definitely deserved to be part of the group that won the Championship.