What looked like being a tough test for Madison, playing a SASL second division team, proved in the end to be a nice stroll in the park. On a beautiful Fall day a strong Madison squad were much too strong for the floundering Division 2 team as they shipped five goals. Madison started the match strongly holding the ball effectively and taking some great shots on goal. The Cheshire Inter team took almost twenty minutes to get a grip of the game and by that time they were one down and heading South. A great shot by Dave allowed Carlos to nip in at the far post and head the ball into the net. After this first goal the pressure from Madison actually increased resulting in a number of successive corners. The Inter team finally succumbed to the constant flow of attacking football when one of those corners swept untouched straight into the net. Inter tried to get back into the game and could have scored a goal from one of their own corners but Johnaldo was able to head the ball off the line with El Gato stranded in no mans land. Jodingo!! also pulled off a great goal saving tackle in the box. At this point in the game Madison could have rattled in a few more goals with shots from Jan, Dave, Jorge and Carlos all going just wide or over the bar. But, as soon as you think the game is easy you get a sharp reminder that it's not and that hit home for Madison when a great through ball from an Inter midfielder found ex Madison player Ahmad with only Johnaldo to beat, which he did with ease, before slamming the ball past El Gato. A good goal though very much against the run of play. Ahmad was the main attacking threat from Inter and would remain so for the rest of the game.
After halftime the Celts changed a few players around and started the half a bit slowly. This lack of urgency cost them dearly when Ahmad again found himself clear on goal with only El Gato to beat. For a second it looked like El Gato was going to get to the ball first but he seemed to be suddenly affected by some sort of invisible fence or force field that stopped him in his tracks at the edge of the box allowing Ahmad to get to the ball and slam it past him for the equalizer. This goal shook the team out of their second half lethargy and they went back on the offensive and were richly rewarded when the hard running Dave got hold of the ball on the edge of the opposition box and sent a peach of a shot into the net to retake the lead. Things went from bad to worse for the Inter team when Bambi scrambled in a 4th and Johnaldo rounded things off when he ran the length of the field to tap in a great cross ball from Jorge to score the fifth of the day. Jorge had a great goal chopped off that would have made it six and several other chances came and went but Madison seemed happy to settle for a 5-2 drubbing of the Div 2 team. Let's hope some of this great form stays with the team for next weeks top of the table clash against Orange!
MAN OF THE MATCH; Jodingo!! with a superb defensive display, great tackles, great distribution and a solid effort throughout the day really blunting the Inter attack. Tano also put in a useful stint in the back four.
Great seeing Ahmad and Matin again at this game..... and great Chicken Matin! Now go get a shave!
