BOILING SPRINGS --- Big South Conference-leading Radford snatched a 2-1 victory in a hard-fought match against Gardner-Webb on Saturday afternoon in league play, scoring a late winner in the 86th minute moments after the Runnin' Bulldogs had the go-ahead goal called back for offside.
The match proved to be a tightly contested affair between the top team in the standings, Radford (10-3-2, 7-0 Big South), and Gardner-Webb (2-11-1, 0-5-1 Big South), as Radford held a 21-6 advantage in shots despite a nearly 50/50 split in possession. The Highlanders also held a 5-3 edge in corners in a physical match that featured 26 fouls and one caution.
Nathan Rose (Bristol, England) paced the Runnin' Bulldogs with his second goal of the season, scoring the equalizer early in the second half off a cross from Riley Shelton (Madison, N.C.). Patrick Gurser (Frankfurt, Germany) attempted a team-high two shots, including a shot that skittered inches wide of the mark in the 64th minute. Matthew Swan (Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom) made five saves for Gardner-Webb in the match.
Neil Martorana and Krzysztof Nalborski each made four attempts at goal to lead the way for Radford, as Darlo Redondo and Felix Steinhauser both found the back of the net in the match. Fraser Colmer and Stephen Hudgens were each credited with an assist.
Radford got off to a flying start in the fifth minute, taking a 1-0 advantage when Steinhauser nodded home a Colmer corner. Neither side would put a shot on frame for the remainder of the half, as Radford carried the narrow one-goal advantage into the interval.
Gardner-Webb pulled back on terms less than five minutes into the second half, drawing level at 1-1 after Shelton played a ball to the back post from distance, and found Rose for a free header into the side netting to knot the score at 1-1.
The Runnin' Bulldogs nearly snatched a 2-1 advantage midway through the 64th minute, when Gurser unleashed a venomous strike from distance that came within inches of finding the net. Radford put together its own go-ahead big moments later, combining well on the flank and through the middle at the top of the box before Evan Szklennik's 66th-minute effort struck the outside netting.
Gardner-Webb made another go-ahead bid early on the 84th minute, advancing quickly on the counter and feeding Ali Al-Gashamy (Kristiansand, Norway) on the right flank with teammates closing on the top of the 18.
Al-Gashamy side-stepped his defender and delivered a lethal ball to the back post from 35 yards out, a ball which sailed past the keeper and into the back of the net over a leaping Denzel Clarke (Atlanta, Ga.), who had started his run in an offside position which resulted in the goal being disallowed for offside.
Radford quickly pushed forward off the restart, making two attempts at goal just seconds apart before finding the breakthrough in the 86th minute, when Redondo poked a cross from Hudgens past the keeper to give the Highlanders a 2-1 advantage.
Swan made perhaps his best save of the afternoon moments later, keeping the Runnin' Bulldogs in the match with a sprawling stop in a one-on-one with Martorana in the 87th minute.
Al-Gashamy would come within a whisker of a late equalizer in the waning moments, sending a last-second effort just wide of the woodwork from just outside the area.
Gardner-Webb is back in action on Wednesday evening when the Runnin' Bulldogs host Presbyterian on Greene-Harbison Field at 7:00 p.m. in Big South play. Prior to the match, Gardner-Webb will honor its seniors with its annual Senior Night festivities.
