MATCH REPORT; Orange 3 Madison 0

Another game, another defeat but this time the score really doesn't reflect the evenness of the game through most of this encounter. Games against Orange are always tough and after the run of terrible form that the Celts have endured you would not have been surprised with another hammering. As it turned out this was a close game with some real chances for the Celts to score throughout the match and to dominate significant passages of the encounter. The opening fifteen minutes of the game were all about the attacking force of Orange and the shot stopping abilities of Hulk who kept the game at zero zero. Those great saves built some confidence in the team and the defensive pairing of Carlos and Jodingo!! well assisted by Edmilson meant we had a fairly strong defensive line to keep the home team out. Up front Tano and Edison tried their best to get some of the ball and take shots when they could. It looked like we were heading for a scoreless first half when Orange got a corner and during the split second it took to organize the defense they took a short one, got the ball into the box causing some real panic. Unfortunately, their striker was first to react to the loose ball and slammed it past the blameless Hulk for the lead goal.
The second half was very similar to the first with some real chances falling to the Celts. Posts were hit, bars were glanced and saves were made but no goals were scored. Unfortunately, this has become the norm for the Celts. Over their last seven games only five goals have been scored and our inability to get through a game without losing a goal means we have been losing more often that not. And so it came to pass in this game. Two defensive mistakes from an otherwise solid defense were cruelly punished by the home team to make the final score 3 0. It looks like every mistake we make at the back results in a goal for the opposition and every mistake they make results in a miss by us. We need to change that equation in the last three games of the season if we want to stay up. Luckily for us, our current abysmal run of lost points has been matched by two or three other teams  and only 5 points covers the last 5 teams! Our next game is a tough one against the high flying Norwalk Mariners. Let's try and bring our best form and stay in the second division!

Man of the Match;  Great game by Jodingo!! and Carlos at the back but even though he only played the first half the great saves by Hulk made him my MOTM! Oh, and happy birthday to Roniildo!