MATCH REPORT; Southington 3 Madison 1

Miserable run of defeats continues for Madison

We always knew this first season in the top division was going to be a tough one. The Madison team has a small squad and no real match winning "stars". You know the type of "stars" we seem to meet week in and week out with the opposition. The fast as lightning striker that slams 3 goals past us, or the midfielder with the ball stuck to his foot like a magnet or the defender that used to play for a Polish first division team back home. We don't have anyone like that in our team but, the team does have skill and for the first half hour of this game there was no doubting which team was the best; it was Madison. Some fine ball control and great passing led to a whole host of great chances for the visiting team. Southington were on the back foot and struggling to keep up with the quick passing and possession play coming from Madison. It was therefore a deserved reward when Madison were given the chance to take the lead after Ahmad was felled in the penalty box. He blasted the ball into the net from the spot only to hear the somewhat erratic referee blow for a penalty box infringement. Luckily, the second shot was no less powerful than the first and Madison had the lead. At this point in the game the midfield were linking well and going on some good runs. The defence were rarely bothered but as the half edged to a close things started to change. Madison were playing with no subs and it was beginning to tell. Some players started to flag and the steam went out of the midfield play. The runs that the Southington strikers were making were not being picked up as easily as before and inevitably just before the halftime whistle Southington struck a cruel blow against Madison. A Southington striker appeared from an offside position and had a clear run into goal for their equalizer. The referee was having nothing to do with the pleas for offside and the goal stood. A tough way to end the half as Madison had clearly been the best team throughout.

The second half was very tough for Madison. The energy and zip that had been the hall mark of the first thirty minutes of the game had more or less been depleted and what was left was a backs to the wall defensive strategy. The constant subbing of players by the Southington team starkly contrasted with the huffing and puffing of the Madison 11 that had to stay on the field for the full 90. Madison still had a number of chances to score but all were squandered and when a midfield/defensive fumble occurred just outside the Madison box Southington were quick to pounce to take the lead. Even at this point the team was still trying to compete. Some strong running by Roniildo and good tracking back gave some hope of an equalizer. But, those hopes were dashed when Southington slammed in a third to effectively finish the game as a contest. The full time whistle went and an exhausted Madison team trooped off the field. Some strong defending and great saves by El Gutso had kept the score down in the second half but Madison had no real threat up front. Gogglito and Hamid put in a great shift in central defence and had left it all out there on the field but it looked like some of our players never brought any in the first place!

The last game of the Summer season will be at home against the tough New Britain Polish team. If Madison get a full squad of players out then I'm sure they will try and finish this first season in the first Division with a flourish

MAN OF THE MATCH; Roniildo. Strong running and constant tracking back to help the defense makes this a stand out performance by the captain