MATCH REPORT; Fairfield 2 Madison 1

SECOND DIVISION Pl W D L FW FL F A GD SNR PD Pts 1 Norwalk Sport Colombia FC 9 7 2 0 0 0 28 10 18 0 0 23 2 Danbury United 9 6 2 1 0 0 27 9 18 0 0 20 3 Greenwich Arsenal 9 6 1 2 0 0 19 9 10 0 0 19 4 Stamford United 9 4 5 0 0 0 15 7 8 0 0 17 5 Orange SC 9 4 1 4 0 0 13 19 -6 0 0 13 6 Fairfield GAC 9 4 0 5 0 0 13 14 -1 0 0 12 7 Guilford Bell Curve 9 3 1 5 0 0 7 17 -10 0 0 10 8 Cheshire Inter FC 9 2 2 5 0 0 19 23 -4 0 0 8 9 Madison Celtic FC 9 1 1 7 0 0 7 24 -17 0 0 4 10 New Haven Americans 9 0 1 8 0 0 4 20 -16 0 0 1 The first half of the season came to an end this weekend with a defeat to Fairfield. This was always going to be a tough game but it made all the more difficult by the small squad, the players playing with injuries and the intense heat. Having said that the teams provided a tough gritty performance and even when they went down to 9 men in the second half they managed to outplay their hosts. With Hulk playing up front again and only one sub available it tells you how small a squad we had for the game. Players like Tim and Jodingo!! turned up even though they were still carrying injuries from the previous weeks games. The first half was a tough 45 minutes but great defending by Tim, Tom Jodingo!!, Johnny I and Dustin kept the Fairfield out. But as the heat started to drain the strength of the team Fairfield managed  a break away and smashed an unstoppable shot past Dustin. The Celts kept plugging away but as the half was coming to a close it looked like they were just holding on for the break. Unfortunately a break of another type happened when a Fairfield forward burst down the Madison left side into the box and slammed a high tight shot into the net.  Two down at the half was a tough score and the walking wounded were beginning to lose even that ability as Jodingo!! had to drop out of the game with a recurrence of his injury. But the team started the second half focused on scoring. Some great running by Tano and stout defending by the Madison back four kept the Celts in the game. The midfield quartet were harrying and tackling as best they could and it looked like the Celts were  getting back into the game. But then the team were cut down to 10 players as the excellent Johnny I was crocked with a hamstring injury. That loss could have crushed a team trying to fight back but the Celts kept plugging away and got a break through when Tano went on  a solo run bursting through the Fairfield defense and lobbed the ball over the goalie for a great goal. Fairfield panicked after this with the Celts getting lots of the ball. Even when they dropped don to 9 men for a period the Celts fought really hard. When Fairfield did attack Tim, TomP and Dustin were usually there to mop things up. But no matter how hard they tried the Celts couldn't get that final goal and the game ended with a brave hard fought 2-1 loss. The Celts now enter the summer break hoping their squad recover from all their injuries and are back to full fighting strength by the August re-start! The strong climb up the table will start then !!!!!!!!! MAN OF THE MATCH; So many to choose from as we had fighters all over the field from Dustin and the back line, the battling midfield and Hulk and Tano up front. But once again Tim stood out as the MOM with a gutsy performance while clearly carrying an injury. But great play everyone!