NEXT GAME; Sunday 2nd October, Morelia!

This Sunday we will have a home game against Morelia. It will be another tough game for the Celts as we get nearer and nearer to the end of the season. Madison have to really win every game if they want a serious chance of promotion. Guilford sit four points ahead of Madison in the prized promo spot and although we have another game against them coming up we need to keep the pressure on and hope some other team does us a favor!

We won the last time we played Morelia. Match report here; http://madisonceltic.blogspot.com/2011/06/match-report-morelia-0-madison-2.html

The Atlantic Rovers contingent will be back in full force for the game and available for selection


Sunday, 8 am, Exchange Field!


And the beer boys are?

MATCH REPORT; Eagles 2 Madison 2

Match Report By Rugginho

It was a nice day with humidity about 50% and temperature about 75 degree, a little cloudy although occasionally the sun would come out. Thirteen players showed up relatively on time, except the usual latecomers. With only two subs the scheduling went on without problems and when the word “subs” was screamed from the bench it sounded like a great relieve for many Celtics.

In the first half, the Celtics looked composed and organized. However, it took a while to score the first goal of the match and it was the result of a play initiated in mid field by Halil and completed by Ihlan who shot the ball right against the body of an Albanian changing suddenly direction and catching by surprise their goal keeper. The Albanians tried to react but the good work of Halil, David and Fribeka in mid field and Talat, Safet, Kris and Bambi in defense (with some good safes from Hulk) nullified all their attempts. So, the half time ended with 0:1 for the Celtics.

In the second half both teams became more aggressive verbally and physically and this resulted in few yellow cards on both sides. Unfortunately, with time the Celtics lost some focus and composure and when an incursion of the Albanians was completely ignored by the Celtics they were able to tie the game. To add more frustration, some good runs from Tano and Paulo and few shots from David were inconclusive. The fatigue at this point was visible among the Celtics and Tano, who was resting on the bench, went in to play up front for Safet, who was playing in defense. In few minutes the Albanians took advantage of this defensive hole and unfortunately they scored the second goal. However, the Celtics promptly reacted by pressing the Albanians until, few seconds before the end of the game, a shot by David in area hit the hand of an incredulous Albanian resulting in the penalty kick. The pressure was high but Tano, having practiced the penalty kick before the game, kept cool and inflated the net with precision and power. It was a well deserved 2:2 tie.

MAN OF THE MATCH; A few of us had some beers as usual after the game and it was decided to have Ilhan as man of the match.

NEXT GAME; Sunday September 25th, Eagles!

Our next game is a tough away game against the fast improving Albanian Eagles. We have played them 3 times already with each game resulting in a high scoring tie. A lot of lost points against a team that scores a lot but lets a lot of goals in!

We will need to use our large squad to its fullest this weekend as several of the team will be missing as they play for the Atlantic Rovers in Scotland. TomA will be the man in charge on Sunday

Let's make sure we do not make any defensive mistakes this time out! I hope someone takes down notes and sends me a match report including a man of the match!

Have fun and win 3 points!

MATCH REPORT; Madison 2 Orange 4

Orange peeled back the chances of the Celts to finish in second place with a comfortable 4 2 win. Although the scoreline looks convincing enough, Madison Celtic did have their chances in a game that was played with less emotional charge than their last encounter.
Madison started the game in good shape controlling the ball and pressing forward with ease. The final pass was their failing in most of the moves and later became a significant feature of the match.
Tano showed right from the kick off that he was in the mood for a good game. He buzzed along the opposition penalty box and was sharp getting to the ball. A few early shots were whizzed in and the excellent Orange goalie had to be alert. After twenty minutes it was looking good for the Celts until Orange decided to have a shot at goal. With their first attempt at a shot, a speculative floated ball into the box, Hulk was posted missing, or blind, as the ball sailed over his head and nestled in the back of the net. This was a real set back to the team and clearly against the run of play. However it was enough of a boost to get Orange in to top gear as they started to press forward with more urgency. Having said that, the Celts nearly equalized when a fantastic shot by Tano smashed off the opposition goalposts. Just as it looked like the team might get back on even terms another blow arrived. A ball over the top of the midfield had the defence rapidly running back but not before the Orange striker got a great shot on goal which was parried by a superb save from Hulk. Unfortunately for him his defence pulled out some deckchairs, poured a beer and smoked a cigar while another opposition player nipped in to slot the rebound into the net. Two nothing down at half time and a real sense of hard luck. Well the hard luck continued 15 minutes into in the second half as a clearly offside Orange player was allowed to waltz into the Madison box and provided a simple pass to one of his teammates to go 3 0 up. The furious Hulk was right to blame his midfield and defence for waiting for a whistle that never came. With the game slipping away from the Celts Tano was still the main threat and once again a fabulous shot of his slammed against the bar. Even though the home team were demoralized they were not giving up but they received the final coup de grace when another move down the Madison right ended with a deflected shot slamming into the Celtic net. At 4-0 down and only twenty minutes left it could have been very easy for the Celts to crumble and allow Orange to crush them and accumulate a barrow load of goals. But with the encouragement of David the team got fired up and basically started to fight for the ball even harder. Of course, a neutral observer could argue that Orange simply eased off but nonetheless the last twenty minutes belonged to Celtic. David turned his verbal positivity into action by relieving some of the home team pain with a great goal. Some more chances came close including a phenomenal save by the Orange shot stopper from an inch perfect free kick from David. Madison had the visitors on the rack now and Halil added a further bead of sweat to the opposition brows with a second goal for the Celts. With time fast running out, the Celts pushed for a third and even had a decent penalty claim turned down for hand ball. But in the end the defensive slump in the middle 40 minutes of the game had lost the match for the Celts although this was a much improved performance against Orange.

Guilford step into second place and the hotly contested promotion spot looks certain to go down to the wire. Next up for the Celts a very tough away game against the fast improving Albanian Eagles....anyone want a bet on a 8 8 tie?

Man Of The Match; great performances by David, Halil , TomA and Jodingo!! were outshone by another sharp as a nail performance by Tano. The only thing missing was the goal he richly deserved.

NEXT GAME; Sunday 18th September, Orange!

This Sunday we have a really big game. We are at home against league leaders Orange. We have played them 3 times already this season with a record of one win, one draw and one loss. Of course the one loss was a painful one.... a 6-2 well deserved humping.

Match Report here;
http://madisonceltic.blogspot.com/2011/05/match-report-orange-6-madison-2.html

That game was a total disaster in terms of our lack of grit and determination, lack of cohesion and pride. Basically we gave up. I'm not sure if we had fought harder we could have won or even gained a point but i know we would not have been beaten by such a wide margin.

Well this weekend we have a chance to gain some pride back. Orange sit 9 points ahead of us in the league and if we ever wanted to claw them back into a championship dog fight this will be the only chance we get.

Let's turn up ready to play.... let's not lose a couple of goals in the first ten minutes like we seem to do every game...and let's play to our best abilities!


The game is at the newly mowed and lined Exchange field with a 10 am kick off


No idea who the beer boys are......

MATCH REPORT; Madison 6 North Branford 2

If there is a really tough way to win a game then Madison Celtic will find it! On paper this match should have been a relatively easy win for the Celts. And the end result of a 6 2 win would imply that's exactly what happened but if you had joined the game after ten minutes you would have seen a home team 2-0 down after two howlers and struggling to get a foothold in the match.

North Branford set about the game with a brisk focus, clearly intent to ruffle the Madison defence. And how easy that was ! The game had barely started when a simple break down the Madison left was followed by a missed tackle, an exposed goalie and a simple shot into the net. If that was bad the second was worse! Another simple break then a fairly weak shot from the edge of the Madison box saw the Hulk scrambling to stop the ball and a slow motion car crash attempt at a save as the ball squirmed under his arm and rolled over the line. Two nil down and a mountain to climb. To the credit of the Celts they responded by switching on the after burners and really punishing the Branford defence. Tano was central to most of the action up front and started a sparkling performance on the day by bursting through the visitors defence getting a shot on target only to see the goalie parry the ball but right into the path of Talat who slammed the ball into the net. The comeback was on! Shortly after this breakthrough another marauding run down the right by Talat was finished off by Jorge who timed his run into the box perfectly to meet the inch perfect pass from the right and thumping the ball into the net for the equalizer. The demoralized Branford team knew at that point they were in trouble and that was confirmed when the superb Tano showing some great individual skills to elude the last defender and curl in a superb shot from a about 25 yards out to take the lead. The Celts were in total control at this point and emphasized the point when Halil dribbled past a couple of defenders before clinically finishing with a shot that slammed past the goalie to give the Celts a remarkable 4-2 position at half time. The team had played very well during the half with superb movement by Tano, Paulo and Jorge up front ably supported by a strong midfield cohort. Notable performances by Bambi and Ilhan complimented the great driving play of Halil. Once again Jody had a very solid display at the back supporting the unusually fragile Hulk. His only mistake on the day was a superb pass he made to an opposition attacker.... but he managed to "chase down his shame" by getting the ball back!

The second half was an easy stroll for the Celts. The Branford team could not get on the ball and when they did they were closed down by Halil or David in the middle. Any sign of this being a competitive game was snuffed out midway through the second half when Madison got a free kick a few yards outside the Branford box. David set his sights on goal and fired in a stunning swerving shot giving the hapless goalie no chance. Tano then rounded off the day and his own fabulous performance with his second and Madison's 6th goal of the day. The referee put the Branford team out of their misery by signalling the end of the game and a wonderful comeback by Madison.

Man of the Match; Some great performances by Talat, Halil and David on the day but the player in fantastic form and deadly all through the game was Tano!

URGENT! Field change! Town Campus!!

Behrooz was just informed by the town that the exchange field is unplayable....not been mowed for months and they forgot we were going to be playing on it!

We will play at TOWN CAMPUS FIELD TOMORROW!

Same time 10am

NEXT GAME; Sunday 11th September, North Branford!

Our start-stop-start re-start to the season continues this weekend with a home game against North Branford. This game is a 10am kick off at the Exchange field.
We have played Branford twice in the league so far with a 2 -2 tie at home and a 4-2 away victory played in appalling conditions. If you want a reminder here is the match report;

http://madisonceltic.blogspot.com/2011/05/match-report-n-branford-2-madison-4.html

Branford sit 3rd from bottom in the league after 19 games having won only 4 games. They sit a full twenty points behind us in the league but this is no reason for complacency. They always give us a tough game and they have scored 4 goals against us in two games. We have to be at our best to maintain our promotion spot!

Check in on the comments section below if you are available to play

I think the beer boy is me as Roniildo is out this weekend

See you Sunday!

They never die who live in the hearts they leave behind

It was Saturday, September 5, 1931, the young Celtic goalkeeper John Thomson was playing against his biggest rivals, Rangers, in a crucial game at Ibrox. John was an outstandingly brave goalkeeper who was already being lauded as one of Scotland's greatest goalkeepers. His quick reflexes and ability to block even the hardest of shots had won him international recognition and he was well prepared for a tough game that day. Tragically fate intervened, and the game would be his last. John was renowned for his courage and fearlessness, and his full blooded dive at the feet of the Rangers forward Sam English as the player went to shoot would not have been a surprise to anyone watching. As the Rangers player shot, John Thomson's head took the full blast of the Rangers player's knee, leaving the goalkeeper unconscious, his head bleeding profusely. He never recovered consciousness and died later that evening in hospital. None of the stunned fans who saw this terrible accident would ever forget it, or forget the young unassuming 22 year old who had so much talent but tragically so few years to use it. John was laid to rest in his home town in Fife, in a funeral attended by over 40,000 people. Even after 80 years, John Thomson lives on in the memory of thousands of Celtic supporters paying testament to the simple epitaph on his gravestone;

"They never die who live in the hearts they leave behind."

Practice Tomorrow?

Looks like a nice morning tomorrow for practice. So far we have Bambi, Tpink, Hulk, Johnaldo signed up. I think Tano will turn up but no one else has put anything on the blog....of course a lot of us have been out of power for a week so maybe that's no surprise..... Anyway, I'm going to turn up at 9 AM at the Elliot Jarod School and see how many of you turn up....hopefully someone will bring a ball!