It took three tries, but Crystal Palace USA finally beat the Harrisburg City Islanders.
After losing and tying the City Islanders in two previous meetings, Crystal Palace traveled to Harrisburg, Pa., Saturday and came back with a 1-0 victory to close out its inaugural season in the United Soccer League Second Division.
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“It means a lot to our organization to end on a good note,” Crystal Palace co-coach Pete Medd said. “It shows the league and everybody that we kept working and the quality of the team that we are.”
Crystal Palace midfielder Matthew Mbuta delivered a crossing pass to forward Gary Brooks, who headed-in the game-winning goal in the 70th minute.
Brooks finished the season with seven goals in nine games. Mbuta led the team with seven assists to go along with six goals, giving him a team-high 19 points.
Despite scoring eight goals in a victory over the Bermuda Hogges on July 28, Crystal Palace was eliminated from the four-team postseason that night, when Harrisburg (11-4-5, 38 points) defeated the Richmond Kickers to clinch the fourth-and final-spot in the postseason.
But Crystal Palace (9-6-5, 32 points) made the City Islanders? playoff road tougher.
With a victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday, Harrisburg would have clinched the second seed and homefield for the opening round of the playoffs, which begin Saturday. Instead, the City Islanders fell to third place and must travel to meet the Cleveland City Stars (10-1-9, 39 points).
Crystal Palace goalkeeper Brian Rowland shut out the City Islanders for the second time this season on Saturday, picking up his eighth shutout on the season.
After allowing 10 goals in Crystal Palace?s four-game losing streak to start the season, Rowland only yielded 11 in the final 16. Richmond?s Ronnie Pascale (10) and Harrisburg?s Matthew Nelson (9) were the only goalies who posted more shutouts than the former University of Maryland, Baltimore standout.
“He?s an experienced keeper. He brings a lot to the table,” Medd said. “Brian gives us so many chances because we?re confident that he?s back there.”
After staring 0-4, Crystal Palace went 9-2-5 to finish the season ? one victory shy of qualifying for the playoffs.
“To go from the first four games when we were giving up goals all over the place to runs of shutouts and scoreless periods of two and three games,” Rowland said, “that just shows you how far we?ve come and where we need to be to compete in this league.”
