UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Despite dominating the match from start to finish, the Long Island Rough Riders settled for a 1-1 draw with the Staten Island Monarchs in a rain-delayed USL League Two game at Mitchel Athletic Complex on Wednesday night.
The match, which kicked off at 8 p.m., was stopped for one hour and 40 minutes, in the 42nd minute, when game officials noticed there was lightning in the area. The game resumed around 10:25 p.m. and finally was completed at 11:17 p.m.
Sean Menacho volleyed home a goal two minutes into stoppage time past goalkeeper Eryk Dymora to give the Monarchs (4-3-2, 14 points) the stunning draw against the Rough Riders (6-1-1, 19), the Metropolitan Division leaders.
The hosts were rewarded for their first-half domination in the 32nd minute when Daniel D’Ippolito stole the ball from a Staten Island player, raced in on the left flank and fired a 10-shot past goalkeeper Leo Perelman for a 1-0 lead and his second goal of the campaign.
Long Island had been flirting with finding the net on several occasions.
In fact, during a two-minute span in the opening half, the hosts could have celebrated as many as three goals.
Perelman denied Ethan Dekel-Daks in the 29th minute and seconds later, Justin Weiss powered a shot over the crossbar. In the 31st minute, Weiss sent a close-range attempt over the bar.
The Rough Riders picked up where they left off in the second half by dominating possession and chances.
They came close on several occasions but could not solve Perelman.
The close encounters included D’Ippolito’s try that was parried away by Perelman in the 50th minute, Richard Fleming’s header from point-blank range that sailed over the crossbar seven minutes later, and D’Ippolito’s 25-yard played that the keeper knocked away in the 82nd minute.
The Monarchs were directed by John Fitzgerald, former associate head coach of the Rough Riders and one-time head coach of the Lady Riders.
In the opening game of the doubleheader, the Rough Riders women defeated AC Connecticut, 11-0, in a USL W League match, a result that clinched the Metropolitan Division title.
The men will host the Cedar Stars Academy at Mitchel on Sunday, June 30 at 6 p.m.
They will finish the regular season with three consecutive road matches.
Long Island will play at the Monarchs on Wednesday, July 3 at 7 p.m., at the Westchester Flames on Saturday, July 6 and at Manhattan Soccer Club on Wednesday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m.