By Jim Clark
Well, the soccer gods that helped keep the ball out of the Wilmington Hammerheads’ net during Tuesday night must be celebrating an extra long holiday weekend. The Hammers did score two goals and had chances for a few more, they conceded a couple of goals that could be considered soft and fell to the Charlotte Eagles 3-2.
Head coach David Irving had to patch a line-up together. Chris Bagley, Tim Karalexis and Colin Falvey all missed the game.

Starting in Bagley’s spot, Phil Hufstader made an immediate impact on the match. He nearly connected in the 2nd minute on a cross from Kenny Bundy. Hufstader’s solid possession and one-on-one skills gave Charlotte trouble all night long.

Hufstader assisted on the Hammer’s first goal of the game. In the 23rd minute, he headed a throw-in to Jamie Watson who took one dribble to his left and blasted one in from 25 yards. That brought Wilmington to within 2-1.

Hufstader got a goal for himself in the 60th minute. He took a cross from Bundy and found the back of the net. That goal proved to be the final one the Hammers would muster.

Charlotte got on the board first when Dustin Swinehart slid a pass deep in the box to Luke Williams. Williams’ shot caught a Hammerhead defender’s heel and squirted under keeper Daryl Sattler in the 8th minute.

A few minutes later, Sattler, who has been battling a nagging sports hernia injury, booted a goal kick and then fell to the ground in extreme pain. He had to be replaced by Kyle Polak.

Polak was unlucky on the Eagles’ second goal. In the 21st minute, he dove to stop Swinehart’s shot and got most of it, knocking it into the air. Unfortunately, it carried over Polak toward the goal and had enough topspin on it to bounce once and into the goal before any Hammerheads defenders could clear it.

Charlotte’s third goal was a well-placed bender off the far post by Jorge Herrera in the 27th minute.

Wilmington had a chance to pull within one in the first half. In the 41st minute, Jamie Watson was pulled down in the box for a penalty kick. Watson kicked to his left, but not high enough or hard enough to get past 6’9” keeper Stew Ceus.

The Hammerheads nearly tied it late. Bundy, who has been on a scoring tear, hit the crossbar with direct kick from 20 yards.

The Hammerheads sit second in the USL 2nd Division, three points behind the Harrisburg City Islanders. Both teams have eight matches left, including one in Harrisburg later this month.

Next up for Wilmington is a quarter-final U.S.Open Cup match against the Rochester Rhinos in New York on Tuesday. The Hammers are back home on Friday, July 10th, when they host the Western Mass Pioneers.