Kingston Stockade FC Pull Off Amazing Comeback to Earn 4-4 Draw Against Defending Champs, Elm City Express

(Photo by StockadeFC.com)

(Photo by StockadeFC.com)

By Randy Kim

KINGSTON, N.Y. — It was a comeback that's absolutely certain to live long in club lore.

After falling behind to defending NPSL champs Elm City Express 4-0 in the first half, Kingston Stockade FC scored four unanswered goals in the second half to earn a draw that was as unlikely as it was impressive.

Elm City got out of the gate early when Anthony Asante nudged home a corner kick in the 7th minute to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Tyler Carlos then scored off of an impressive free kick to make it 2-0.

Shaquille Sanchez scored in the 27th minute to make it 3-0, and Tyler Carlos converted a penalty kick in the 44th minute to make it 4-0 to the Connecticut side.

But then the hosts woke up, and took the action to the defending champs.

Pedro Espindola headed home in the 54th minute off of a Bernardo Mattos cross to make it 4-1.

Espindola and company continued to apply pressure before converting again in the 72nd minute. The second Stockade goal came off of a Mikey Lanzetta corner kick, which was converted by Victor Guirma.

Lanzetta then used some deft maneuvering in midfield to find enough space to send Espindola through on goal. Espindola didn't disappoint, and beat the keeper to make it 4-3 in the 77th minute.

(This also led to one of the great goal celebrations of any competition currently underway, including FIFA's own World Cup.) 

Then a mere five minutes later, Stockade drew level. Lanzetta assisted once more, this time to substitute Michael Creswick, who headed home to make it 4-4. Which led to wild celebrations by the home side and its fans.

Stockade continued to apply pressure — with Espindola tantalizingly, if not cruelly, striking the post in the 88th minute — but the hosts were unable to steal all 3 points from the visitors.

After the match, Stockade head coach David Lindholm talked about why the team was able to shift gears so dramatically from one half to the next.

"I told the guys at halftime — it wasn't a big speech — but I told them that we've got to take pride in our performance," said Lindholm. "Whatever the reasons we were down four goals, whoever came off at the half, it didn't matter. The 11 guys that were out on the field just had to take pride in the performance that we were going to give in the second half. And they did. It was a level of energy, and a level of intensity and focus and drive and passion that we didn't see in the first half. And that first-half performance was due to some of my decisions, and due to some lapses we made, but to be able to come out like that in the second half and get a result is an amazing testament to how much these guys care about what they do day in and day out, and how much passion they have for the team, the badge, the fans, and for each other."

Lindholm then spoke about what this sort of an emotional comeback means for his side.

"I think the real value in getting a result like this and having a comeback like this is that we turn it into more points later," said Lindholm. "And that's going to be tough, as we have three very, very good teams left on our schedule. But we've shown that we can play with anybody, and we're better than teams that we've dropped points to this season. We've got to put in a 90 minute performance."

Stockade travels to Brooklyn Italians this coming Saturday. Then they host Boston City FC on June 30, before heading to New York Cosmos on July 7. (Providence City FC also visits Dietz Stadium on Sunday, June 24 for a friendly.)

Man of the Match: Mikey Lanzetta

Kingston Stockade FC Beats Seacoast United Mariners, 2-0

(Photo: StockadeFC.com)

(Photo: StockadeFC.com)

By Randy Kim

KINGSTON, N.Y. — The hosts went on the front foot early and never looked back.

Riding an early goal, and then a second strike before halftime, Kingston Stockade FC topped Seacoast United Mariners, 2-0, on Saturday evening in front of 1,014 supporters at Dietz Stadium.

Stockade's Matt Koziol opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 4th minute, after forward Afonso Pinheiro was taken down in the box by the Seacoast keeper.

Alex Tejera then scored off a short corner in the 43rd minute to give a hosts a 2-0 lead that would hold the rest of the way.

After the match, Stockade head coach David Lindholm praised his side's focus and demeanor in making the most of the early lead.

"(The early goal) was a great start to the match, and it took some pressure off of us, just to have a lead and to be able to play from that position," said Lindholm. "We've had that in the past, but I think tonight was a more defensively solid performance from us throughout. And that was key. So having an early goal and being able to be calm throughout the match was helpful and really important."

Lindholm also saw the win as vital to keeping Stockade's playoff hopes alive.

"We have a tough stretch coming up," said Lindholm. "We have no easy games, and we have to get a lot of points to get into the playoffs, so it was a key win for us. We knew that winning this match was critical for our chances of getting into the playoffs, and really having a good run to start the rest of the season. So having the support that we did, with a huge crowd, and a lot of energy on the field, we needed that and we got the result. It was great."

With the win, Stockade's record is now 2-1-3 on the season (wins-draws-losses). 

Stockade's next match is at home on Saturday, June 16 at 6PM against the reigning NPSL champions, Elm City Express.

Man Of The Match: Alex Tejera

Kingston Stockade FC Falls to New York Athletic Club

stockade-nyac-june2018.JPG

By Randy Kim

KINGSTON, N.Y. — It was a tale of two halves for Kingston Stockade FC on Saturday, but unfortunately for the home side, the final result still led to zero points.

Despite spending much of the second half in the visitors' half of the pitch, Stockade fell to New York Athletic Club, 2-1, in front of 881 fans at Dietz Stadium on a lovely June evening.

A defensive mishap by the hosts led to the first goal of the match in just the 29th minute, as NYAC's Tom Yorston slotted home a breakaway goal that gave the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Yorston then converted again just after halftime in the 47th minute, as he expertly collected a cross before one-timing a volley home to give NYAC a 2-0 lead.

Stockade then became the aggressor, however, and forced the action for most of the rest of the match.

Alex Tejera headed home a goal in the 57th minute for Kingston, off of an assist from substitute Mikey Lanzetta.

Stockade was relentless from that point forward, but unfortunately was unable to convert any of their chances, despite numerous skilled attempts by the likes of Tejera, Bruce Jeter, and more.

Kingston midfielder Matt Koziol saw the loss as a difficult one to swallow.

"The ball didn't bounce our way," said Koziol. "We hit a couple of posts, and they hit us on a quick counter-attack to score their second. We battled hard, we battled well. It's a tough one to take, because we played pretty well, so it's a tough loss."

Koziol saw the absence of some key players, including captain Jamal Lis-Simmons — out due to a questionable red card issued the previous Wednesday against TSF — as a tough hurdle to overcome for the hosts. 

"We were missing a couple of key guys, a couple of starters that would have helped us and kind of solidified us, but we're deep this year, so even then we should have done a lot better today than we did," said Koziol.

Stockade's next match is at home against Seacoast Mariners on Saturday, June 9 at 6PM at Dietz Stadium.

Kingston Stockade FC Falls On Road, 3-2, to Hartford City FC

stockade sxi hartford.jpg

By Randy Kim

NEW BRITAIN, CONN. — Kingston Stockade FC fell on the road, 3-2, to Hartford City FC on Saturday night in NPSL play.

Hartford struck early, as Mark Grant converted a tidy 1-2 at the top of the box to open the scoring for the hosts in the 7th minute.

Stockade showed some strong fight-back, however, and countered with a few near misses before Matt Koziol scored the equalizer off a driven ball from Juan Parada in the 38th minute. The teams went into the half with this same 1-1 scoreline.

Both teams fought hard coming in the second 45, with Stockade's Michael Corbi nearly scoring in the 57th minute, only to be denied by Hartford keeper Hami Kara.

Hartford then took the lead in the 65th minute when Andre Morrison converted a penalty kick for the home side.

Hartford's Sebastian Stezeweski did further damage to Stockade's hopes of a road result, by putting the hosts up 3-1 in the 74th minute.

Stockade showed some fight-back, however, as Juan Parada converted a penalty kick in the 89th minute. The penalty was earned by Kingston's David Nkansah-Siriboe.

The loss leaves Stockade with a 1-0-2 record (wins-draws-losses) after three matches played in the North Atlantic Conference Division of the NPSL's Northeast Region Conference.

Stockade's next match is on Wednesday, May 30 (7PM) at TSF FC.

Kingston then plays at home against New York Athletic Club on Saturday, June 2 (6PM).

Kingston Stockade FC Loses On Road to Greater Lowell United

stockade sxi lowell.jpg

By Randy Kim

AMESBURY, MASS. — Kingston Stockade FC fell to Greater Lowell FC on the road on Saturday night, 5-1.

Jamar Hinds opened the scoring for Greater Lowell in the 10th minute.

Jordan Misiri then doubled the hosts' lead in the 27th minute.

Stockade got one back in the 37th minute, as Bruce Jeter drove the ball home off of a lofted ball from defender Jamal Lis-Simmons.

Lowell made it 3-1 in the 51st minute, as Misiri only added to the visitors' misery by converting his second goal of the night.

Cleon Pryce scored in the 61st minute to make it 4-1.

Pryce was right again in the 73rd minute, as he completed his brace to make the score 5-1.

The match was played at Amesbury Sports Park, and marked the debut of Dennis Crowley Sr. doing play-by-play commentary for the match's live stream.

Kingston Stockade FC Tops Rhode Island Reds, 3-0, To Open 2018 NPSL Season

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KINGSTON, N.Y. — Kingston Stockade FC rebounded nicely from a rough mid-week domestic cup result to open the 2018 league campaign in style.

After suffering a harsh 6-3 result away at Long Island Rough Riders on May 9 in the U.S. Open Cup, Stockade FC bounced back to top Rhode Island Reds, 3-0, at Dietz Stadium on Saturday in the Hudson Valley club's first match of the 2018 NPSL season.

Stockade opened the scoring in the 4th minute of the match, as midfielder Matt Koziol shrewdly poked a Juan Gatti corner kick home at the back post to give Kingston a lead they would never relinquish.

Shortly thereafter, Koziol doubled Stockade's lead in the 11th minute by converting a penalty kick, which was won by Mike Corbi on the left side of the box.

Corbi then did some well-crafted damage of his own in the 18th minute. After Owen Fingar and Michael Creswick combined for some nice interplay to free up the Stockade attacker, Corbi deftly flicked a header over the Reds' defenders before placing a lovely toe poke just inside the far post to give Stockade a 3-0 lead, which would ultimately prove to be the final result on the day.

From there, Stockade rode some solid defensive work and composed play up top to find their way to an impressive and relatively comfortable opening win of the 2018 campaign.

The official attendance on the day was tabulated at 372 fans. It's worth noting that this figure is people actually making their way through the turnstiles, not the number of tickets sold.

By Randy Kim

Kingston Stockade FC Releases New Kits, Announces New Sponsors for 2018 Season

Kingston Stockade FC's 2018 home and away kits.

Kingston Stockade FC's 2018 home and away kits.

By Randy Kim, Kingston Stockade FC GM

KINGSTON, N.Y. — When it comes to the sport of soccer, nothing stokes hope, optimism, and genuine excitement amongst a club's fanbase quite like the release of a new kit.

Well, Stockade supporters, it's time to get fired up for season number three.

Working closely with soccer apparel manufacturer Inaria, Kingston Stockade FC is proud to unveil brand new home and away kits for the 2018 campaign.

For starters, the Hudson Valley side will have an exciting, new look when they take the field for home matches at Dietz Stadium. Stockade will now be wearing bold orange kits rather than the white shirts they've worn for the past two seasons. The up-tempo orange doesn't just speak to the energy and buzz around the club; it is also pays homage to the city of Kingston's rich Dutch heritage.

Moreover, the jersey features a sartorial Easter egg of sorts, as it has a subliminated topographical map of the Kingston region, which was added to honor the region from which most of Stockade's fans hail.

A map of the area around Dietz Stadium has been added to the 2018 Stockade jerseys.

A map of the area around Dietz Stadium has been added to the 2018 Stockade jerseys.

For road matches, Stockade will wear an elegant black strip with orange trim. The away kit also features the topographical shading as well. Overall, both kits were designed to successfully blend a classic footballing ethos with shades of the modern game, and club founder Dennis Crowley thinks the shirts successfully check both boxes.

"We're extremely pleased with the look and feel of our new kits," said Crowley. "We wanted to do something that really connected the club to the region — hence, the topographical map — but we also wanted to offer fans something that they'd like to wear away from the stadium as well, and maybe out to the pub or the farmer's market. I think we succeeded on both fronts with these great new Inaria uniforms."

As for the kit sponsors in season three, similar to the national growth of Stockade itself, no one has been left behind, but a newcomer has joined the party as well.

Local, trusted bus company Trailways of NY remains the key front-of-shirt sponsor on both home and away kits. Trailways of NY has been on the front of the shirt for every season the club has been in existence, and Stockade is extremely proud and extremely pleased to have them back on board for the 2018 campaign.

Another sponsorship mainstay, local broadcaster Radio Woodstock is on the shoulder of both jerseys once again as well. A presence at all home games, Radio Woodstock has been instrumental in spreading the word about Stockade in the Hudson Valley region.

As for the back of the shirt, a brand new addition should lift the perception of the club on a larger scale. Lyft, the fastest-growing rideshare company in the US, joins the Stockade sponsorship team for the 2018 season. Lyft shares many of the core values that Stockade does, making the company a natural fit for the shirts that Stockade will wear in the U.S. Open Cup next week. Lyft’s sterling reputation on a global scale also matches Stockade's ambitions of being a team that resonates through the Hudson Valley and beyond.

The home kits will be unveiled during on Saturday, May 5 at 6PM, at the home friendly against Newtown Pride FC. Both home and away kits will go on sale at Stockade's first regular season home match, on Saturday, May 12 at 6PM against Rhode Island Reds. (Click here for the 2018 Kingston Stockade FC schedule.)  Both kits will be for sale online mid-summer 2018.

Stockade is also proud to announce its sideline sponsors for the 2018 season.

SIDELINE BANNER SPONSORSHIPS:
(alphabetical)

Best Western Plus, Kingston, NY:  Best Western Plus is the closest hotel to Dietz Stadium in Kingston, and they'll be offering a 20 percent discount to Stockade fans.  Please call the hotel at (845) 338-0400 to ask for the discount, or book online via this link. For more information, visit bwpkingston.com.

Bread Alone:  A returning sponsor that provides the post-game sandwiches that fuel players on both the home and visiting teams. Bread Alone is a family-owned, values-driven bakery that's been baking using organic grains since 1983.  Go to breadalone.com for more information.

Cabinet Designers - The Kitchen and Bathroom Design Firm:  Cabinet Designers in Kingston returns as a second-year sponsor.  The firm aims to improve their clients' lives by improving their living spaces.  See cabinetdesigners.com for more information.

Ryan Roach & Ryan, LLP: Also a second-year sponsor, Ryan, Roche & Ryan is a full service law firm with over 50 years of experience that was founded in Kingston in 1952. Go to ryanroachryan.com for more information.

Todd's Salsa: Another second-year sponsor of Stockade.  Founded by celebrity meteorologist Todd Simcox out of Bangor, Maine, Simcox started the company using ingredients right out of his own garden.  Todd's Salsa is passionate about supporting local communities and is excited to be returning as a Stockade sponsor for 2018.  Go to toddssalsa.com for more information.

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Kingston Stockade Football Club is a men's semi-professional soccer team based in Kingston, N.Y. Stockade FC represents the Hudson Valley in the NPSL, which is the 4th division of the U.S. soccer pyramid.  The club was started in 2015, played its first season in 2016, won their Conference Championship in 2017, and qualified for the 2018 US Open Cup..   For more information on Kingston Stockade FC, visit http://stockadefc.com. You can also follow the club on both Twitter and Instagram at @StockadeFC and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stockadefc

Kingston Stockade FC Releases 2018 Player Roster

Photo credit:  Ride the Tide Photography

Photo credit:  Ride the Tide Photography

KINGSTON, N.Y. — With the 2018 NPSL season close at hand, Kingston Stockade FC is proud to announce its roster for the upcoming campaign. After a series of tryouts over the winter, second-year coach David Lindholm has settled on the 39 players he will use for both the NPSL season, and the club's first-ever U.S. Open Cup appearance, which begins on May 9 at the Long Island Rough Riders.

The full roster can be seen below, but here are a few facts and figures about Stockade's 2018 roster:

  • 22 players are returning from the 2017 squad  (56%)
  • 17 players are new to Stockade FC   (44%)

  • 19 players are active college players (ranging from D1 to D3 collegiate programs)  (49%)

  • 7 of those 19 college players are graduating seniors, and eligible immediately

  • 12 of those 19 college players have remaining eligibility and will join the squad in May

  • 24 players are from the Hudson Valley or Greater Capital Region (Albany)  (62%)

  • 4 players are from Brazil

  • 3 players are from Vermont

  • 3 players are from Pennsylvania

  • 1 player each is from: Argentina, Bolivia, Connecticut, England, and Long Island

  • 9 players are University of Albany products (active or alums)

  • 6 players are Marist products (active or alums)

  • 3 players are Siena products (active or alums)

  • 34 players are field players

  • 5 players are goalkeepers
     

KINGSTON STOCKADE FC 2018 ROSTER

Name (last, first) # POS Hometown College (* = current) Age**
Anasta, Matel 24 D Catskill, NY Marist (alum) 24
Barrett, Phil 20 D Clifton Park, NY Siena (senior)* 22
Bogart, Joe 14 D Hyde Park, NY Plattsburgh (alum) 30
Conde, Reid 33 M Manchester, VT Albany* 20
Corbi, Mike 7 F Hopewell Junction, NY STAC (alum) 24
Creswick, Michael 9 F Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK York St. John U (alum) 29
da Fonte, Steve 15 D Ossining, NY 21
Davis, Kevin 31 D Beacon, NY Wheaton (alum) 22
Espindola, Pedro 10 F Sao Paulo, Brazil Albany (alum) 25
Fingar, Owen 35 F Scotia, NY Albany* 20
Fortier, Eric 11 F Pleasant Valley, NY Oneonta (alum) 26
Gatti, Juan 25 D Buenos Aires, Argentina Mercy (alum) 27
Guerra, Hugo 34 M Brewster, NY Albany* 18
Guirma, Victor 19 M New Paltz, NY Howard* 21
Henry, Christian 13 D/M Milford, PA UMass (grad) 22
Jaime, Justin 16 M/F Albrightsville, PA Marist* 18
Jeter, Bruce 23 F Monroe, NY Marist* 20
Khanat, Moosah 5 D Dix Hills, NY Albany (senior)* 21
Kloster, Marco 2 M Curitiba, Brazil Siena (senior)* 23
Kmiec, AJ 30 D Pine Bush, NY 21
Kozak, Svyatoslav 12 GK Norwalk, CT Monroe College* 21
Koziol, Matt 8 M Poughkeepsie, NY RPI (alum) 24
Lanzetta, Mikey 18 M Hartsdale, NY Cortland* 20
Lis-Simmons, Jamal 17 D Highland, NY Albany/NP (alum) 36
Macklin, Ross 4 M Henniker, VT Vassar (alum) 27
Maley, Josh 26 M Poughkeepsie, NY LIU-Brooklyn (alum) 27
Mattos, Bernardo 27 D Sao Paulo, Brazil Albany (alum) 23
Nkansah-Siriboe, David 3 F Poughkeepsie, NY Marist* 20
Ormsby, Sean 32 D Warwick, NY Oswego* (senior) 20
Parada, Juan 6 M Santa Cruz, Bolivia Marist* 21
Queen, Andreas 99 GK Stone Ridge, NY Buffalo State* 20
Rossi, Gino 29 D/M Schenectady, NY Albany* (transfer from VTech) 21
Sass, Jed 36 M White River Junction, VT Middlebury* (senior) 22
Shenberger, Nick 26 M Hummelstown, PA Bard* (senior) 21
Skonieczny, Steve 1 GK Lagrangeville, NY Marist/Siena (alum) 28
Steigerwald, Tom 21 D Salt Point, NY 24
Valillo, Lucas 0 GK Sao Paulo, Brazil Albany* (senior) 23
Zehner, TJ 0 GK Beacon, NY Sage (alum) 23
Zobre, Scott 22 D/M Poughkeepsie, NY Binghamton (alum) 28

*  Denotes player is an active college player
**  Roster age is as of April 23, 2018.)

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Kingston Stockade Football Club is a men's semi-professional soccer team based in Kingston, N.Y. Stockade FC represents the Hudson Valley in the NPSL, which is the 4th division of the U.S. soccer pyramid.  The club was started in 2015, played its first season in 2016, won their Conference Championship in 2017, and qualified for the 2018 US Open Cup..   For more information on Kingston Stockade FC, visit http://stockadefc.com. You can also follow the club on both Twitter and Instagram at @StockadeFC and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stockadefc