Battery Fall on the Road 2-1 to FC Tulsa

By: Battery Media

TULSA, Okla. – The Charleston Battery saw their two-game unbeaten streak end Saturday as the Black and Yellow fell 2-1 to FC Tulsa in a hard-fought road battle at ONEOK Field. Tulsa’s JJ Williams scored twice in the first half to give the hosts an early lead. However, Romario Piggott pulled a goal back just before halftime to keep the Battery in the match. Charleston battled relentlessly throughout the second half for an equalizer but were unable to level the match before the final whistle.

Action kicked off with the Battery on the front foot, Andrew Booth and Augustine Williams were among the key players leading the Charleston offense forward at the start. Williams had the night’s first shot on target in the 2nd minute, but goalkeeper Austin Wormell made the save. Minutes later, Booth drove the ball into the box for a wide shot that was deflected and landed towards Romario Piggott, who redirected the ball just wide of the post. Booth tested Wormell again in the 8th minute and the goalkeeper made another save.

While the Battery were controlling much of the match, Tulsa opened the scoring in the 17th minute when JJ Williams found the back of the next after receiving a Bradley Bourgeois cross. Charleston were undeterred and continued to press forward into the final third. The Battery had a series of seven shots peppered off in the 27th minute that Tulsa’s defense was able to block, denying the visitors an equalizer. Tulsa doubled their lead in the 34th minute when JJ Williams broke away unmarked on a free kick taken by Rodrigo da Costa to head home his second goal of the night.

Romario Piggott pulled a goal back for the Battery in the 45th minute, rewarding his side’s offensive efforts to cut into Tulsa’s lead. Mauro Cichero picked out Piggott from the edge of the center circle with a through ball that met Piggott on the move. The Panamanian took a few steps to gather himself before tallying his second goal of the season. Charleston held almost 60% of possession in the first half.

Play resumed with both teams looking for the night’s fourth goal. Bourgeois sent in a shot that was blocked in the 49th minute and Cichero looked to sneak in an equalizer in the 57th minute that went narrowly wide of the left post. Charleston held 71% of possession through the first 15 minutes while aiming to keep Tulsa without any options for an additional goal.

As the half progressed, Tulsa held firm in resisting the Battery’s relentless advances. The Black and Yellow’s reinforcements made their presence felt, with the fresh legs of Dominic Oduro, Aidan Apodaca and Enock Kwakwa off the bench helping to drive the team forward in the latter stages of the match. Apodaca nearly picked out Augustine Williams inside the box with a clear look on goal in the 83rd minute, but Johnny Fenwick broke up the pass at the last second. In stoppage time, Apodaca again played a cross from the byline towards Augustine Williams and Oduro, however neither were able to connect and redirect the ball in. The Battery took their fifth and final corner kick in the last minute of stoppage time, but did not convert as Tulsa saw out the 2-1 victory.

The return of Enock Kwakwa was among the brighter spots for the Battery during the night, with the Ghanaian midfielder making his first appearance in a match since March 27 against Atlanta United 2.

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