by JAKE NUTTING

Following last week’s deflating loss to the Charleston Battery, the Tampa Bay Rowdies put in an efficient and clean shift on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium to dispatch the Richmond Kickers 1-0. The result is the third 1-0 scoreline the Rowdies have earned at home this year.

The Rowdies expected the stout Kickers to bunker in and that’s exactly what they did. Richmond remained organized throughout most of the match, denying the Rowdies passing lanes into the box and neutralizing service from the wings.

Despite a 70 percent edge in possession in the first half, the Rowdies were unable to guide a shot on target until the 42nd minute when a quick passing sequence opened up a chance for Joe Cole just inside the box. Tampa Bay’s captain fired a shot as he fell to ground from contact, but his attempt was collected by keeper Matt Turner.

Once again, Coach Stuart Campbell stressed patience and the importance of widening the field to stretch out a defense that was throwing most of its bodies behind the ball. However, a fortunate deflection and an outstanding finish from Deshorn Brown on a broken play was the breakthrough moment.

With an illness sidelining left back for the first time this year, veteran Marcel Schafer made the shift from the midfield to the back line. The move didn’t impede the German from helping to create the goal. From the endline, Schafer cut inside to his weaker right foot and chipped a cross to the far post where a Richmond defender attempted to head it out of danger. Instead, the clearance found its way to Brown, who perfectly timed a powerful scissor kick into the bottom left corner.

Here is @strika09's 45th minute goal, which has the Rowdies up 1-0 over the @RichmondKickers. pic.twitter.com/hbmLZKYzqz — Tampa Bay Rowdies (@TampaBayRowdies) April 30, 2017

“We had so much possession, so much sort of movement of the ball,” Campbell said. “I turned around to [Assistant Coach Raoul Voss] and said we’re gonna need a bit of individual brilliance to open this up. Deshorn had a few bounce off his chest, a shot blocked, and then he just produces something like that. Yeah, I was really happy with that.”

A trickling shot from distance from winger Darwin Jones just past the hour mark was the only other effort Tampa Bay put on frame. The Kickers defense occasionally bent but never broke in the face a few a promising build ups from the Rowdies in the second half.

While disappointed with the lack of scoring chances, Campbell was pleased with the way the defensive effort shown by the players after allowing three goals last week. Campbell’s squad had 11 interceptions, won 75 percent of their tackles, won 55 percent of their duels and kept the Kickers from registering a shot on net.

“We knew they’d sit deep and we’d have a lot of the ball,” he said. “I wanted us to be more patient and I wanted us to win our individual battles. I wanted all of us first and foremost to think about our defensive responsibilities and I thought every man has done that. They deserve a tremendous amount of credit.”

Charleston only managed a point in a 2-2 draw at home against the Ottawa Fury, allowing the Rowdies to match the Battery’s 13 points at the top of the USL’s Eastern Conference standings. The Rowdies travel to face Ottawa next weekend.

IMAGE, PATRICK PATTERSON/UNUSED SUBSTITUTES