MILLTOWN — After a scoreless first half, Wilmington Charter finally found some space in the second half, enough to put up a pair of goals in a 2-0 shutout of Saint Mark’s on Sept. 12. It was the Spartans’ first loss of the season.
The first half was a defensive battle, with neither team getting too much offense generated. The Force had perhaps the best opportunity of the half about 30 minutes in. Dylan Yin spun free of a Saint Mark’s defender and went down the right side before sending a crossing pass toward the net. Spartans goalkeeper Sean Lenderman caught that one.
Both sides earned a few corner kicks in the closing minutes of the half, but they could not convert. Ryan Farina of Saint Mark’s took a free kick from 45 yards out in the final two minutes, but the ball skipped through the players and rolled over the end line to the right of Force keeper Owen Freeman.
Charter had the wind at its back in the second half, and their kicks seemed to have a little extra something on them. Lenderman and the Spartans’ defense were able to keep them off the scoreboard until a corner kick in the 52nd minute. Ceydrick Chigbu took a corner kick inbounds pass from Ryan McCann and headed it inside the right post for the 1-0 lead.
Cole Guarneri doubled the lead in the 57th, taking advantage of a fortuitous roll. This time, McCann started the play with a long throw-in toward the Spartans’ goal. Varun Dhir caught up to the ball and bounced it over Lenderman’s head. The ball rolled on the crossbar and fell to the ground just as Guarneri closed in. He tapped the ball into the empty net.
The Force outshot the Spartans, 8-3, and had the edge in corner kicks, 5-3. Charter (2-1) hosts Red Lion on Monday at 3:45 p.m. Saint Mark’s (2-1) is also at home on Monday at 3:45 p.m., hosting Delaware Military.
