CHARLESTON, S.C. – A second-half goal by Lewis Hilton proved the difference as the Tampa Bay Rowdies took a 1-0 victory against the Charleston Battery on Tuesday night at Patriots Point that saw both teams end the game with 10 men after late red cards and the Rowdies record their sixth consecutive shutout, extending their overall streak to 621 minutes while moving back to the top of the Atlantic Division.

The two sides exchanged sides early as Tampa Bay’s Steevan Dos Santos directed a deflected cross on target with a header that was saved by Joe Kuzminsky, while Charleston’s Josh Penn drove a low shot from the top-left edge of the penalty area just wide of the bottom right corner as Rowdies goalkeeper Evan Louro dove to cover.

The hosts had another pair of efforts late in the first half but both were charged down by the Rowdies’ back line as first Robbie Crawford was stood up by Forrest Lasso before the ball caromed to Claudio Repetto, who couldn’t get his effort cleanly past Jordan Scarlett. Repetto had another chance five minutes into the second half that got through but was smothered by Rowdies goalkeeper as the Battery continued to try and find the opening goal.

Tampa Bay was also looking, and in the 61st minute hit the crossbar twice in a matter of seconds. First, Juan Tejada moved onto a pass from Leo Fernandes into the left side of the penalty area and fired a near-post shot that Kuzminsky got a hand to, palming the ball onto the woodwork, before Dos Santos followed up and sent his header off the crossbar as well before the ball went behind for a goal kick. Two minutes later, though, the Rowdies got the breakthrough as Dos Santos held up play inside the left half of the penalty area and then passed back to the top of the box where Hilton controlled and fired a low shot into the left corner of the net.

The Rowdies were reduced to 10 men with eight minutes to go as Conner Antley was sent off after a high challenge on the Battery’s AJ Paterson, but then so too was Charleston as Leland Archer was shown a second yellow card as he brought down a Rowdies player looking to break on a counterattack as the hosts pushed numbers forward to try and find an equalizer. From there, while the Battery pushed, there was no way through as the visitors held firm for victory.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Lewis Hilton, Tampa Bay Rowdies – Hilton provided the game-winning goal and was strong in midfield throughout, completing 53 of 56 passes and three key passes as he linked play for the visitors.

Scoring Summary
TBR – Lewis Hilton (Steevan Dos Santos) 63’

Full Box Score