USL First Division Week 6 Wrap

By: Bob Kellett | May 18th, 2008

Wednesday

Charleston Battery 1-0 Montreal Impact – Charleston picked up its third win in a row at home thanks to a goal by the absolutely on fire Randi Patterson in the 86th minute. Montreal finished its six-game road trip with two wins and four losses. Charleston’s defense has been impressively stingy this season, allowing five goals in seven games. A midweek crowd of 2,146 showed up at Blackbaud Stadium to watch the Battery continue their winning ways.

Seattle Sounders 1-1 Rochester Rhinos – After starting the season without scoring a goal in four games, the Rochester Rhinos waited until the very last possible second to finally break the duck. Scott Palguta scored in stoppage time to lift the Rhinos to their second tie of their five-game road trip. Zach Scott had given the Sounders the lead in the 75th minute but the defending league champions couldn’t hold on at home. The game in Tukwilia attracted 1,861 fans, a far cry from the 10,000 the Sounders drew in their home opener against the Timbers at Qwest Field last Saturday.

Friday
Puerto Rico Islanders 2-2 Portland Timbers – Recap here

Atlanta Silverbacks 2-1 Minnesota Thunder – The award for the most inconsistent team in the USL First Division goes to Atlanta. They are a pendulum that swings between sucky and super. In this contest they were super. Anthony McManus and Jason McLaughlin scored for the Backs. Melvin Tarley, who is back with another stint with the Thunder, notched the lone goal for Minnesota. The Thunder had entered the contest with three straight victories. A whopping even numbered crowd of 1,900 showed up to watch the Silverbacks go to 2-1-2 on the season.

Miami FC Blues 0-1 Vancouver Whitecaps – By league rules, every Vancouver Whitecaps game must end with a 1-0 scoreline. All four of Vancouver’s games have been decided by a loan goal, and the Whitecaps have won three of those affairs. That is one goal yielded in four games by the Caps. That is impressive. Also impressive is Eduardo Sebrango who netted his third goal of the season in this one. He is the only Whitecaps player to score all year. You might also be impressed that Miami drew 3,125 for this game, but you might want to take into account the club gave away 4,000 tickets to area schools for free.

Saturday
Rochester Rhinos 0-1 Charleston Battery – Randi Patterson took over the lead in the league’s Golden Boot race (If they even have one in USL-1. It is probably made from Cubic Zirconia.) by scoring his fifth goal in the last four games. Patterson’s goal was the difference as once again Rochester’s offensive attack was simply offensive to those who watched it. Rochester has two points from six games and a mere goal to show for their efforts. No wonder only 7,132 showed up for the home opener. The golden child of the USL First Division is no more.

Sunday
Miami FC Blues 0-0 Portland Timbers – Recap used to be here until it was eaten by Word Press

Carolina RailHawks 0-0 Minnesota Thunder – The Thunder came away with a road point on a rainy afternoon in North Carolina thanks in part to their keeper Nicolas Platter’s 8 saves. Playing their second game on the road in three nights, Minnesota went toe-to-toe with Carolina in a game that featured 39 fouls and a lot of end-to-end action. A season low 2,974 braved the elements to watch the home side remain undefeated on the season.

Seattle Sounders 4-2 Atlanta Silverbacks – The Seattle Sounders have two wins this season and both have come against Atlanta. The Sounders continued their dominance of the Silverbacks, who they beat in last year’s championship game, thanks in part to a pair of goals from Josh Gardner. The Silverbacks should know better than to schedule a game in Sunday in Seattle after playing a game on Friday night in Atlanta. In a league of crazy schedules and travel that is about the craziest. Your paid attendance: 1,927.

USL First Division Attendance (home games)
Portland (4) – 8,328
Rochester (1) – 7,132
Seattle (3) – 5,013
Vancouver (3) – 5,013
Carolina (3) – 4,209
Puerto Rico (4) – 4,083
Charleston (4) – 3,683
Minnesota (2) – 2,480
Atlanta (4) – 2,361
Miami (5) – 2,257
Montreal (0)

League average (33) – 4,207