MATCH REPORT; Cheshire Inter 2 Madison Celtic 2

Madison Celtic started off the new season with a gutsy performance that claimed a well earned point in a four goal thriller. Celtic started the game against newly promoted Cheshire Inter with only 11 players available for the 90 minutes. They knew it was going to be an uphill fitness battle against an Inter team that had copious numbers of subs available to them and so it proved. But the opening 15 minutes of the game were all Madison with some great possession and superb passing. Johnny B and Rob Bz were in great form right from the get go and the Celts looked the most likely to get the opening goal. So it was no surprise when a ball passed to Tano was trapped between his chest and chin and then laid off to Johnny B who swerved an unstoppable shot from outside the box for a fabulous go ahead goal. If the Celts looked primed to take advantage of that lead then they failed to do so as their fitness wheels came off the bus. A bit more huffing and puffing encouraged Inter to get more into the game and a few on target shots and headers could have erased the lead, and more, if it had not been for the great saves by the Hulk. But even with these great interventions you could tell an equalizer was coming and it happened after another great save by Hulk as he stretched his fingertips out to push the ball off to the side .But the ball was not cleared from the penalty box and Inter were able to lob the ball back in and over the heads of the defense and into the net for the equalizer. The rest of the half was still largely dominated by the Celts and by the half they could argue that they were unlucky to be tied. The second half again started brightly for Madison but became a war of attrition as the 45 minutes ticked down. Madison had a burst of energy as the half started with some great runs by Ruggerho and Rob Bz but it was a run up to the edge of the opposition box by Johnny B that released Rob to run free and coolly slot the ball past the goalie for another go ahead goal. After that, the zero Madison subs and the ability of Cheshire to sub players in and out as frequently as they wanted, really took its toll. A break away run from the halfway line by an Inter forward  finally sprung the tight  Madison offside trap, allowing him to run unhindered into the box and slot the ball past the Hulk for the equalizer. With only fifteen minutes left in the game the Celts were fading fast and holding on for dear life. If it wasn't for some superb last minute tackles by La Boca and Edmilson combined by some fantastic shot stopping by Hulk, the Celts would have surely crashed to defeat. But the team sucked it up and held out for  a great draw. The first point claimed at the start of what hopefully will be a fun season!

MAN OF THE MATCH; Some of the great play by Johnny B and Rob was notable. Also, the superb tackling by Edmilson and the solo up front job by Tano were also worthy of praise. But the stand out performance of the day was from The Hulk for his superb array of saves keeping the Celts in the game!