Zeiko Lewis netted his second goal of the season to help inspire Charleston Battery to a hard fought 2-1 win over Miami FC in the USL Championship at Patriots Point on Friday night.

The Bermuda forward sparked the hosts fightback when he scored with a spectacular acrobatic effort in the 24th minute to cancel out Lamar Walker’s seventh-minute free-kick.

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Charleston’s comeback was completed when Joel Bunting notched the first goal of his professional career in the 50th minute which ultimately proved to be the winner.

Lewis, Angelo Kelly and Leland Archer all had chances to increase the home side’s advantage during this tight affair played in front of another sold-out crowd.

The visitors pressed on in search of an equaliser but were unable to penetrate Charleston’s defence.

Joe Kuzmisky, the Charleston goalkeeper, was also equal to the task when called upon to repel Adonijah Reid’s threatening effort that preserved his team’s slim advantage.

Michael Anhaeuser, the Charleston coach, hailed his player’s resilience and Lewis’s brilliantly taken goal.

“We go down a goal, you know, they get that free kick,” he said on the club’s website. “It’s a little unlucky but credit to the guys coming back. Zeiko Lewis picking up a fantastic finish to make it one-one and then we settled down.”

“We came out the second half really sharp and for Joel to get his first goal in front of the home crowd was incredible.

“That’s an amazing result for us to get your first one at home, and that leads to bigger and better things.”

The win was Charleston’s first at home of the season and second overall. Anhaeuser’s team is presently sixth in the eight-team Eastern Conference Atlantic Division standings, two points adrift of the play-off positions.

Lewis, 26, is due to rejoin the national squad for their Gold Cup preliminary-round fixture against Barbados on July 2 at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The winner will take on Haiti or St Vincent & the Grenadines to progress to the group stage.