Stockade loses to Brooklyn

NEW YORK » Kingston Stockade FC had its six-match unbeaten streak ended Saturday as the Brooklyn Italians won 1-0 on a last-second stoppage time goal.

The teams engaged in a scoreless battle in the National Premier Soccer League match for 90 minutes. At that point, there were still three extra minutes of stoppage time to be played and Jerel Blades connected in the waning seconds of the final minute for Brooklyn.

Stockade (5-2-1) had won five and tied once in its last six outings coming into the showdown with the unbeaten Italians, who are now 5-0-1 overall. In the NPSL’s latest power rankings of its 96 teams, Brooklyn was sixth and Kingston 12th.

Both teams had plenty of great opportunities. Brooklyn had a long strike sail just wide in the early minutes and Stockade goalkeeper Steve Skonieczny deflected

a free kick headed for the top corner.

In the second half, Stockade fullback came up with a big clear of a ball that was right on the goal line, Pedro Espindola had a shot for Kingston that went wide, Brooklyn had a free kick that just went over the crossbar, Skonieczny had another big save and Italians keeper Mike Berardi made a finger tip save on a Michael Creswick bid.

Kingston is back on the road next weekend, playing the Seacoast Mariners in Portland, Maine on June 24. Stockade returns to Dietz to face the Mariners on July 1 and the TSF Academy July 3 in its final regular-season home matches.