Ancients Close Out Championship Season With 2-1 Victory

The Wilton Ancient Warriors took to a cool, sun drenched Lilly Field on Sunday for their final match of the 2008 season and closed their Championship campaign with a grinding 2-1 victory over Club Napoli.

The Ancients expected to have their hands full coming into the contest and Napoli did not disappoint. From the start Napoli's speed, skill and deft movement on and off the ball would require the Warriors to summon their best efforts.

And that they did.

They say the best offense is a strong defense and Wilton's midfield and back line units proved up to the task. Midfielders Gregory Gryglewski, Kevan Quantock Nicholas Slater and Alex Etemadfar, led by Captain William O'Herron, were tenacious and insistent on allowing Napoli little space and time to craft their offense. When Napoli's skillful strikers did get through, Andrew Copley, Kourosh Azarbarzin, Paul Defelice, Hossein Sadeghi and Michael Schneidman marked closely and tackled hard repeatedly leaving the visitors unfulfilled. Early on, Wilton's offense relied largely on the long ball and their speed sending Andrew Allers, Ferenc Kiss and Romuald Szostek in vain persuit.

After a somewhat frantic initial 20 minutes, both sides settled in to rhythm and were able generate equal chances. For Wilton, Mark Isaacs displayed ownership of the goalie box and gathered anything that came his way.

The Warrior's resistance finally paid off at 35 minutes when Szostek won a lose ball at midfield and, sensing a defensive overplay, raced toward goal. With Allers accompanying the break and the defense riding alongside, Szostek played a short through pass for Allers who was able to pace past the Napoli defense, collect just inside the 18, touch once to his right, and hit with authority inside the right post for a 1-0 lead Wilton would take into the half.

The physical play and frustration were evident at the halftime whistle as a heated exchange resulted in a red card booking for an opposition player.

Napoli, needing at least a draw to earn promotion, came out at the restart with purpose. With the majority of possession, Napoli attacked the Ancients tiring defense relentlessly, but to no avail. Far busier now in the second half, Isaacs patrolled his area with abandon, highlighted by two fantastic saves, to keep Napoli at bay. Finally, Napoli broke through and converted the equalizer at 70 minutes.

Within minutes of their goal, it seemed Napoli's great effort to draw even had taken its toll as Wilton began to earn back possession and made repeated advances into the visitors end. With 15 minutes left to play, O'Herron took control of a loose ball and carried toward three Napoli defenders. With perfect timing and placement, O'Herron laid off to Allers racing down the right side. While the defense dropped off O'Herron to defend the onrush, Allers weaved his way past two along the end line and found a glimmer of open space between the goalie and near post to provide Wilton their second goal and a well earned victory.

The Ancients finish their season with an impressive 16-1-1 record and look forward to an entertaining and challenging foray into the First Division in 2009.

Ancient Warriors Snag Title, Earn Promotion To First Division

The Wilton Ancient Warriors captured the SASL Masters Second Division title and well deserved promotion to next year's First Division with a 2-0 win over Easton Rhinos on Sunday.

Easton proved formidable, standing strong to Wilton's attack and applying consistent pressure from their front-line. However, Wilton's stubborn defensive corps of Andrew Copley, Tom Parsons, Michael Schneidman, Paul Defelice and Kourosh Azarbarzin, along with keeper Andrew Galimi, held Easton's attack in check throughout the match. Easton was able to muster only one real scoring chance in the first half, which Galimi turned away with a cat-quick diving save to his left. Easton's keeper, too, was up to the challenge as he turned out one impressive save after another as Wilton enjoyed a significant advantage on shots.  As the first half close drew near, play became disorganized as both sides eagerly awaited the break, which arrived with the score still level at 0-0.

On cue with their modus operandi, Wilton started the second half well pinning the opponent in their own end. Wilton finally found reward after nimbly moving into the Easton area with a skillful exchange between Slawomir Przybysz, Nick Slater, and Hossein Sadeghi, Holding outside the 6 yard box, Przybysz's attempted shot glanced off a defender's arm resulting in a penalty kick awarded to Wilton. Despite the opposition's protestations, the referee's decision was upheld and Slater calmly placed his PK in the lower left corner to give Wilton a 1-0 advantage.

With over 30 minutes remaining, neither side seemed satisfied to leave it at that. Spirited, though less than sublime, play ensued with Easton constantly attempting to break through (to no avail) and Wilton seeking to add to their lead only to be repeatedly frustrated by the Easton keeper.

At 80 minutes Wilton was finally able to add breathing room on an otherwise common build from the left back. From his own end, Schneidman chipped a short lob to Sadeghi at midfield. who immediately laid off to Andrew Allers and ran towards goal as Easton defenders converged. Allers, facing his own defensive end and with seemingly few options, sensed the overplay and hit a clever ball blindly over his head for Szostek to run on. Still 30 yards from goal, Szostek headed the ball down, chased while warding off the defense in pursuit, converged on the goal, and with a cheeky flick delicately lobbed the ball over the onrushing keeper's head and joyously watched the ball bounce happily across the goal line. 2-0 to the Ancients.

The Ancient's final game of this season takes place on Lilly Field this Sunday, 11/2 at 10am vs. Club Napoli from the North Branford area. This final game promises to be hotly contested as Wilton looks to finish their season strong and Napoli, currently in second position, must not lose in order to earn the second promotion spot.

Ancient Warriors Step Closer To Title, Beat Branford

In their final road match of the season, The Wilton Ancient Warriors dismissed Branford Social Soccer Club by a score of  5-0 last Sunday. The home side thought to have momentum having taken all six points from their past two encounters against strong competition. Additionally, the park at Flax Mill featured the type of small, bumpy surface known to give the Warriors fits. Not on this day, however.

The Ancients displayed smart control and possession from the outset finding their opponent's only defense to be over-aggressive play and packing the box. Despite the Ancient's persistent pressure early on, the score was level through most of the first half.

Wilton finally broke through at 30 minutes when Kourosh Azarbarzin ignited the attack with a through ball to the right wing for Slawomir Przybysz. Advancing to the corner flag, Przybysz floated a cross beyond the far post where Nicholas Slater skillfully laid it back across the 6 yard box, placed perfectly for Andrew Allers to easily volley into the back of the net. Wilton followed shortly after as Allers intercepted an errant clearance outside the 18 and countered past the Branford defense. With the trailing defender desperately tugging his shirt from behind, Allers blazed ahead pushing the ball square past the onrushing keeper for Przybysz to easily touch in for a 2-0 halftime lead.

Unwilling to allow the opposition to think comeback, the Ancients struck again just 5 minutes after the restart. Directing from the midfield, Slater sent a perfectly weighted ball through to Andrew Copley overlapping from his stopper position. Copley, surprised to find himself unmarked and facing the goal from just 5 yards, clubbed his shot off the keeper's leg. Tom Parsons, however, was alertly trailing the play and punched home for his first goal of the season and a 3-0 advantage for Wilton. Just 10 minutes later, the Warriors took a 4-0 lead as Slater, again orchestrating from the midfield, found Przybysz alone on the left wing. Przybysz laid off inside to Ferenc Kiss who, with a defender on his back, made a fantastic touch-and-turn to race 25 yards diagonally toward the right post and, from just inside the 18, hit a low screamer into the left side netting. Sweet revenge for Kiss who was the victim of an ugly foul just a few minutes earlier resulting in the Branford player being sent off with a straight red card.

The Ancients closed the scoring at 80 minutes as Piotr Bierezowiec, playing his last match of the season, fittingly converted a penalty kick awarded for another flagrant pulling of the shirt.

Wilton's next match will be at 10am this Sunday, 10/26 at Lilly Field vs. Easton. Now sitting comfortably six points atop the table, Wilton will clinch a championship and well earned promotion to First Division with a victory

Under a canopy of clouds and intermittent showers, what would be a poignant metaphor for the contest, the Wilton Ancient Warriors defeated visiting Middletown 4-0 at Lilly Field on Sunday morning. Enjoying their first week atop the table, the Ancients, in an otherwise unspectacular match save for the oppositions behavior, thoroughly dictated play from the opening touch to the final whistle and, were it not for surprisingly productive goal-keeping, the final result may have been far worse for the visitors.

Wilton opened scoring at 25 minutes as Kourosh Azarbarzin's low cross from the right wing found its way to William O'Herron who, left unmarked in the 6 yard box, hammered home the ultimate game winner. Consistent with what appeared to be their strategy, Middletown loudly protested O'Herron's goal to no avail.

The second half saw more of the same. The Ancients continued to apply unrelenting pressure pinning the visitors in their end. Middletown rarely ventured into Wilton's end as Wilton's keeper, Andrew Galimi, touched the ball with his hands just twice during the entire match. With Middletown clearly wilting now was the time for the Ancients to strike.

At 55 minutes Andrew Allers poked the ball away from one of the Middletown defenders and to the feet of Slawomir Przybysz who collected and easily placed Wilton's second tally beneath the Middletown keeper. Within another 10 minutes, Hossein Sadeghi fed to Allers just past midfield. Allers advanced, inexplicably unchallenged, past three struggling defenders and blasted home number three for Wilton, the ball grazing the right post on its way to the back of the net.

At 60 minutes Allers sprang free behind the Middletown defense to receive a beautiful through ball from Piotr Bierezowiec and toyed with the Middletown keeper  before waltzing in with Wilton's would-be fourth goal.  However, though the referee clearly saw the play and signaled a goal, Middletown claimed offside and launched a spectacular protest, surrounding the referee.   The official eventually gave into Middletown's barrage of complaints, reversed his call and disallowed the goal (with no explanation, and no official whistle restarting play). So, while Wilton was entirely in their half lined up for the kickoff all of a sudden Middletown was attacking with the ball, the score having remained 3-0. Entertaining to say the least.

Wilton closed the scoring at 75 minutes when, once again, Allers raced past the defense onto an expertly slotted through ball from Sadeghi and walked his second goal, and Wilton's fourth and final, calmly into the net with Middletown's keeper splayed desperately behind him near the 18.

With a two point lead and remaining in first position with three games to go, the Ancient's next encounter will be at Branford on October 19^th.

The Ancient Warriors faced off again Rowayton FC in the local cross-town rivalry.  Originally scheduled in Norwalk, so furious rearranging was done Saturday to move the match to Lilly Field to take advantage of the rain-proof turf.

At the whistle, a full-strength Wilton side quickly took the majority of possession, passing and attacking and creating several good chances. yet not managing to put the ball into the net.  Tireless running by captain William O'Herron set the tone for the Warriors midfield, and the back-line with Kourosh Azarbarzin and Michael Schneidman on the flanks, and Piotr Bierezowiec and Andrew Copley in the middle consistently shut down any attack by the Visitors.  But as these things happen, putting the ball in the net once is worth more than six good chances at goal, and a dynamic buildup by Rowayton, followed by a unstoppable shot saw the Ancients go 1-0 down after 20 minutes, despite this having been the opposition's first shot on goal.  Newly animated, the Home side continued applying pressure which was rewarded about 5 minutes later when Gregory Gryglewski slotted a perfectly weighted pass through to meet Andrew Allers' run into the box, who finished into the side netting taking the score to 1-1, where it remained to the half as Goalkeeper Andrea Galimi was virtually untroubled, save the lone goal.  The game had its typical derby flair, which was dampered somewhat when Rowayton's central defender appeared to have broken a rib in a challenge and walked gingerly off of the field.

The second half started with more of the same, with Wilton applying constant threats, shooting repeatedly.  The first real effort however came 25 minutes in when, after O'Herron was fouled just outside of the box, with Gryglewski and Slawomir Przybysz lining up over the ball, Bierezowiec came through to put a ball towards the top corner, with Rowayton's Goalkeeper saving spectacularly to keep the game level.  Finally the stalemate was broken when Romuald Szostek wove his way into the penalty area, with his pass caroming into the path of Przybysz who stabbed the ball home to provide what would ultimately be the winning goal, the lead further protected by Azarbarzin's last-minute chasing down of a breakaway, and a low save by second-half Goalkeeper Mark Isaacs.   The score does not do justice to the amount of possession and attacking that the home side did, and it was another team effort for the win.

The Warriors' next match is 05-Oct, 10am at Lilly Field against Middletown.

Southeast Rovers and Wilton's Ancient Warriors faced off in a battle for the second division lead at Lilly. Southeast entered the affair with a slim one point lead and had edged Wilton 3-2 during the spring season encounter away in Old Lyme.

From the start, Southeast's attacking style caught the home side somewhat unprepared primarily spending the first 15 minutes pinned in Wilton's defensive half. But, the Ancient's held firm despite multiple chances for the Rovers. Finally, after a series of corners, Southeast converted on a delicate header that slipped just inside the far post to take a 1-0 lead. Play evened from there with a more physical tone taking hold. The final 15 minutes saw the Ancient's beginning to assert their own will and ultimately control play as the earlier onslaught by the visitors began to take its toll.

Wilton carried momentum into the second half earning the majority of possession and a staunch defensive unit limited Southeast's advances. Wilton nearly found the equalizer at 55 minutes when Gregory Gryglewski held the ball from 20 yards and patiently drew the Rovers defense as Romuald Szostek made a smart left to right run across the box. Gryglewski layed a perfect ball through a maze of legs to find Szostek's right foot in stride as his would-be goal rattled the cross bar and was cleared to safety. Shortly after, Wilton's new energy, and seemingly their chances, were momentarily dashed as an unmarked Southeast man collected a ball in the air, juggled once, turned and, from 25 yards, lasered a volley past a stunned Mark Isaacs to give the Rovers a 2-0 advantage.

Down but not out. Wilton kept their organization and continued to press on when Alex Etemedfar chased down a loose ball in the Rovers end, fed Slawomir Przybysz atop the 18 who flicked a graceful lob over the defense to Piotr Bierezowiec. Bierezowiec calmly collected inside the penalty area, evaded two desperate defenders and placed a difficult shot just beneath the keeper to bring Wilton within one goal at 2-1. Still not satisfied, Wilton sustained pressure and just 5 minutes later Szostek weaved artfully into the penalty area to find himself bearing on goal. This time he would not to be denied and buried the equalizer over the onrushing keeper.

The Ancient Warriors traveled to Northford Sunday to face the team currently at the bottom of the 2nd Division.  But as they seem destined to relearn time and again, every team must be taken seriously in this league.

After being gently encouraged by the Youth Football authorities not to play on the assigned field, the match was quickly moved to the nearby high school with a wet, but good conditioned, grass field.

From the opening whistle, Wilton had the majority possession but just could not seem to put the ball into the net.  Nearly adding insult to injury, on one of their rare incursions into the Warriors area, a North Branford cross was nearly deflected for an own goal, but the ball was expertly saved by Goalkeeper Mark Isaacs. Time and time again the Ancients attacked and repelled, and the first half ended in a scoreless draw.

Determined not to falter at this stage of the season, injured Goalkeeper-turned-coach Andrea Galimi gave a rousing pep-talk to the team, ensuring full commitment from the players lest they suffer his rebuke.  This seemed to do the trick and Wilton started the second half again on full attack.  The efforts were ultimately rewarded when a Nicholas Slater cross made its way to Andrew Allers to be headed in to open up the scoring.  Shortly after, quick-thinking Gregory Gryglewski received the ball about 25 yards out, and seeing the opposing keeper off of his line deftly chipped the ball up and over his head into the back of the net to extend the lead.  Next up was Piotr Bierezowiec, collecting a high ball just inside the penalty area, controlling it down and turning to send it high into the opposite corner of the net for goal number three.  Finally with about 10 minutes to play, Romuald Szostek shot hard from just outside of the box, with the shot deflecting in past the keeper, scoring the final fourth goal of the match.  Tireless midfield running and a stalwart defense kept yet another clean sheet as the Warriors march on in their quest for promotion.

Next home match is this weekend (14-Sep) Lilly Field, against the Waterbury Pontes.

It was the best of games, it was the worse of games,
it was a game of precision, it was a game of disarray,
it was a game of pursuit, it was a game of sloth,
we were all going direct to 1st Division, we were all going to languish in the 2nd Division.