MATCH REPORT; Madison 0 Guilford BC 0

Madison's first home game of the SASL season was against a strong Guilford Bell Curve team that turned up early and ready for business! This was in stark contrast to the Madison team that seemed to casually turn up in dribs and drabs with apparently no concerns about the 10am kick off time! With several key players missing in action the Celts started the game slowly and in a somewhat disorganized fashion. In contrast, the Guilford team set off strongly with some crisp passing and incisive attacking play forcing debut boy Roberto to show his defensive skills right from the start of the game. Luckily, the few early chances for the visitors did not really trouble El Gato and after twenty minutes Madison finally got themselves into the game. Some good wing play by Fribeka on the left, and Talet on the right saw crosses into the box that allowed Jorge, Safet and Tano all to have chances that in any other week would have found the net. But not this week, and each shot went over, past or nowhere near the opposition goalposts. Both teams were evenly matched and throughout the rest of the first half chances were few and far between. Therefore it was no surprise that the half ended in a goalless tie.

The second half started with the Celts taking the game by the scruff of the neck pushing the Guilford team onto the back foot and forcing defensive errors for the first time in the match. Pressing their back four allowed some great opportunities for the home team to take control of the game and for the first twenty minutes of the half Madison had several chances to take the lead but just couldn't get the final touch to push the ball into the net. Of course, no team can keep an attack going for a whole game ( well maybe Barca! ) so gradually Guilford started to push up the field and had a few of their own chances to grab the lead. In one of their best attacks a great move down the Madison right ended with a fierce ball being swept into the box and for a second it looked like the ball was heading into the net only for El Gato to tip it onto the bar allowing Johnaldo to kick the ball out of the box. Then, in clearly their most productive stretch of the game, a Guilford forward swept into the box and unleashed a great shot that flew past El Gato into the net. Luckily for the Celts the ref blew for a foul on the last man Roberto. This narrow escape did not inspire Madison to raise their game and the game moved on in a stalemate. Several chances came and went but it looked like a draw was on the cards until the last move of the game.

With only seconds left on the clock Guilford fouled a Madison player on the edge of the box allowing a last chance for Madison. Roniildo lined up for the shot and sent in a scorcher of a shot that looked like a goal all the way. The Guilford goalkeeper stretched out to his maximum length and just at the very tip of his finger he flicked the ball over the bar and a certain winner for the Celts was gone. The whistle blew to end a great competitive match and a fair zero zero tie. The last time Madison had blanked in a game was way back in September of last year and hopefully the next time will be a year from now!

Yellow/Red Card watch; Roberto (-1)


MAN OF THE MATCH; tough to split the great match saving antics of El Gato and the fanstastic defensive debut by Roberto so...what the Hell ....they are both men of the match!