WILTON - You work hard all week long. Early mornings fade into late nights. Your weekend schedule is booked carting your kids across South Western Connecticut to their activities. Sunday morning comes and you finally have some time to yourself.  It’s cold, windy, raining and you finally have an opportunity to do what you want. You sleep late? No. Read the paper over a hot cup of coffee? No.  Catch up on your domestic to-do list? No.

For the men of the Wilton Ancient Warriors, there is no better place to be than the comfortable confines of Lilly Field. Arriving for an early 8am kick off, the Ancients faced down the elements, and the Greenwich Gunners, to notch a convincing 4-0 win over last season’s Division 1 runners up.

Stellar shot-stopping by Ancient’s keeper Andrew Galimi kept the first half scoreless with mostly sporadic play as both sides, facing off for the first time, struggled to find a familiar rhythm.

In a match this tight there would be little room for error and Greenwich were the first to blink.

Straight from the second half restart, Wilton found glory with what would prove to be the game winner at 52 minutes when Ferenc Kiss, just on via substitution, punched a spectacular ball over the defense onto a streaking Andrew Allers who artfully brought the ball down to barge in on goal, dodge to his left past the outstretched Greenwich keeper, and tuck Wilton’s first goal just inside the left post. Wilton pressed on and added their second just 5 minutes later as Nick Slater found space enough to blast away from 20 yards. The blocked shot fell to the feet of Robert Sztachelski who, despite finding himself surrounded by enemy defenders, quickly curled around one and slammed a low left-footed shot just beneath the scrambling keeper. 

With 30 minutes still remaining Wilton could not and, characteristically, would not relax. The Gunners certainly possessed the firepower to strike quickly if given the chance. And now, down two goals, the visitors routinely brought one or two extra men forward hoping to pull back into the match. But Wilton’s defense (and Galimi's complete ownership of his goal area) had been sound and efficient throughout and would follow suit for the remainder of time.

Greenwich’s aggressive approach would also leave their backline vulnerable as Wilton was able to convert twice more on quick counter attacks. At 70 minutes William O’Herron won a midfield skirmish and laid off to Sztachelski who immediately partnered with Romy Szostek to ignite a two-on-one break away. After twisting the retreating defender with three neat exchanges, Szostek finally fed Sztachelski who finished with a blistering right-footed shot inside the left post for a 3-0 advantage.

The home side closed the scoring at 80 minutes when Michael Freliech won a midfield scrum of his own and sprung Kiss for a break away. Waiting until the last possible moment, Kiss flicked a clever chip over the onrushing keeper and watched from his knees as the ball bound into the goal.

With the victory, Wilton remains unbeaten through four rounds and sits in 3rd  place with 8 points. The Ancients will take a break from SASL competition next weekend for the third annual Kick for Nick fund raiser against the MLS Coaches on Memorial Day at Lilly.

Monday, May 25th will see the Ancient Warriors host the 3rd annual Nick Madaras Memorial Day Challenge.  At Lilly Field straight after the parade, the Ancient Warriors, a team from MLS Camps (coaches of the WSA Boys' travel teams) and special guests Wilton Blue (a team comprised of Nick Madaras' former teammates from Wilton High School) will play a 3-team round-robin mini-tournament in an exhibition fund-raiser for the Kick For Nick charity.