CHARLOTTE – The slide continues for the Wilmington Hammerheads following a 1-nil setback against Charlotte Independence on Saturday night.
Wilmington has gone 0-5-1 in their last six outings, falling to 6-10-6 overall as the potential for a playoff push becomes less and less likely for the Hammerheads. Meanwhile, Charlotte extended its unbeaten streak to five straight, improving to 10-6-6 (36 points) overall and positioned for a postseason berth.
For the first time this season, Wilmington has been blanked in back-to-back matches, but the Hammerheads should have had an opportunity for a penalty kick in stoppage time as a replay clearly showed the Independence committed a handball in the box.
Charlotte broke the scoreless stalemate with a strong individual effort from Brian Brown in the 65th minute. Matched up in isolation along the left edge of the penalty area, Brown shimmied his way into the box and fired a low strike across his body past Wilmington goalkeeper Eric Ati. The tally inside the left post was his fifth goal of the season.
Jermie Lynch continued his impressive play since getting picked up by Wilmington a couple of weeks back and had the Hammerheads’ best shot on net all night. Wilmington crossed the ball in from the left to Lynch making a run toward the right post. He headed the ball toward the upper right corner of the frame, but Charlotte goalkeeper John Berner punched the shot over the crossbar to keep it a scoreless contest at the break. Berner recorded his fifth clean sheet of the season in the shutout.
Wilmington’s defense showed some improvement on the road after conceding a whopping 15 goals in five games heading into the match. Scroll down below to see a pair of highlights from the match.
The Hammerheads return to the Port City from a two-game road swing with a date against Charleston Battery at Legion Stadium on Saturday, August 20.
What a shot! Brian Brown hammers this one! #WeAreCLT #CLTvWIL pic.twitter.com/4Glqyx4lBt
— Charlotte Independence (@Independence) August 14, 2016
John Berner burning up for @CLTIndependence 🔥🔥🔥 #CLTvWIL pic.twitter.com/At8BFFOiqW
— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) August 14, 2016
