zipman

11.09.05 - 15:00 - Marco Lorenzon, Rende - Serie C2/C

Rende 8th (Calabria) - Melfi 3rd 0:2 (0:0)

Dry 33°C
Attendance: 512
Referee: Nicolò Calò

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Marciano - Patarini - Cuomo - Avolio (c)
Selvaggi - Doumbia - Esposito - Gaeta
Lauria - Roberto

Goals:
0:1 Lauria (54')
0:2 Lauria (91')

MoM:
Federico Lauria (ST, Melfi, three shots = two goals; enough said)

Another long train (and bus - as Rende has no station) station down to Calabria; over nine hours altogether. But we have good Calabria memories, when you think back to our coup at Vigor Lamezia.
Anyway my guys played as they were still in the nighttrain during first half, and Melfi was even worse. One shot for them, two for me - none even close to be dangerous.
In second half the hosts started to become more offensive, which lead to two very good chances. Also in the 54th they started a drive that looked promising, but left midfielder Doumbia intercepted the ball and hit a wonderful pass to Lauria who got free of any defenders. Goal for Melfi. The hosts responded angrily and turned the pressure on. Even if we made two substitutions the situation didn't change. After around 85 minutes Rende were tired and we got another big chance through Doumbia. In extra time we hit them on a break and Lauria - his 5th goal of the season - converted a Cammarota deflection. Having played one game more than most others Melfi leads the league sensationally with seven points.

zipman

18.09.05 - 15:00 - Sant'Abruzzese, Melfi - Serie C2/C

Melfi 3rd - Viterbo 1st (Latium) 1:1 (0:0)

Dry 24°C
Attendance: 1541
Referee: Massimiliano Sirchia

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Marciano - Patarini - Cuomo - D'Angelo
Selvaggi - Doumbia - Esposito - Cammarota (c)
Lauria - Di Giacomo

Goals:
0:1 (50')
1:1 Cammarota (79')

MoM:
Raffaele Pianese (ST, Viterbo, goalscorer for the guests)

We welcomed the league leaders to our Basilicata mountains. Even if we are currently 3rd, everything else than a clear Viterbo win would be a big surprise considering their squad.
The guests started in fashion and pushed as back from the very beginning. My defense showed unfamiliar weaknesses especially on both flanks, where I had to replace Avolie with D'Angelo while 18 year old Marciano on DL was very nervous. Viterbo had three very good chances in the first 45 minutes without making the goal. They had the ball 60 % and we hardly managed to cross the midfield line.
The 2nd half didn't bring any change and we were very lucky when Cuomo was not shown a red card after bringing down Pianese as last man. Pianese took revenge by scoring from the following free kick. We started to become a bit more offensive and using the flanks more after the goal, but our first chance shouldn't come before the 70th minute. Nine minutes later we scored the surprising equalizer: Cuomo hit a lovely freekick which is saved by the Viterbo goalie. Cammarota scores on the rebound. In the 90th minute Cuomo has even the chance to win the game for us but couldn't connect after a corner. Altogether a lucky point for us and a very Melfi friendly referee. Four games, eight points; four points clear of the relegation playoff!

retired_blondie_524

Very Good so far :thup:

I had a story going where I took Cavese to C1 before I quit for China - hope you have the success with Melfi as well

retired_brianrt

just read this, good stuff so far. Any man taking on the Italian Lower Leagues deserves credit, cos its damned hard. KUTGW :thup:

zipman

Grazie Mille I always liked playing in the lower leagues, but this is my first ever story. I guess things can't continue so well as now, but maybe Melfi has some hidden magic, because in real life they also do shockingly well.

zipman

25.09.05 - 15:00 - Comunale Antonio Bianco, Gallipoli - Serie C2/C

Gallipoli 7th (Puglia) - Melfi 2nd 2:1 (1:1)

Dry 22°C
Attendance: 768
Referee: Giovanni Calzolari

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Fumagalli - Montano - Cuomo - D'Angelo
Selvaggi - Doumbia - La Porta - Cammarota (c)
Lauria - Roberto

Goals:
1:0 (10')
1:1 Cuomo (37')
2:1 (65' - penalty)

MoM:
Michele Tommaso Lanzillota (M LC, Gallipoli, scored both goals for the hosts)

Full of optimism we started our five hour long train journey to Lecce from where we took the bus to one of the oldest towns in Italy Gallipoli (founded as Kallipolis by Greek colonists in the 7th century BC). Gallipoli was as we promoted to Serie C2 and therefore we hoped having a fair chance to run away with at least a point. In addition some newspapers had us suddenly "promotion contenders" which was maybe not a very realistic judgement. I was also confident because Avolio and La Porta were back in the squad after injury.
While I selected La Porta from the start, I gave veteran D'Angelo a last chance he is better than young Avolio. Fumagalli made his first start as left defender. Gallipoli started well and already scored on its second chance after a big defensive blunder by us. They had control in a rather boring game after their goal. Anyway my defender Cuomo did exactly what I told him before the game, challenge the goalkeeper at corners and take your chance. He equalized after 37 minutes.
Once again D'Angelo did badly so he was substituted with Avolio after 52 minutes. Anyway it was a lousy second half, especially after I had to substitute La Porta due to exhaustion. Gallipoli created many chances and actually converted a questionable penalty to win the game.
So our first Serie C2 defeat came in our fifth game. No disaster but I hoped we would do better against a mediocre team. I hope we finally can win at home next weekend to make this wasted Sunday forgotten.

zipman

02.10.05 - 15:00 - Sant'Abruzzese, Melfi - Serie C2/C

Melfi 8th - Vittoria 11th (Sicilia) 0:1 (0:0)

Dry 20°C
Attendance: 1405
Referee: Stefano Liberti

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Fumagalli - Patarini - Cuomo - Avolio
Selvaggi - Doumbia - La Porta - Cammarota (c)
Lauria - Venturini

Goal:
0:1 (60')

MoM:
Mauro Bergna (DC, Vittoria, dominating midfielder)

Today we welcomed Vittoria from Sicily to our mountains. Somehow we hoped the 18 hour train and ferry trip would tire them. And things looks really promising when Venturini broke through their defense right from the whistle. The rest of first half was again lousy and the visitors dominated. Even if Patarini and Avolio were back in defense Vittoria had many chances to take the lead. Another problem area is creative midfield where Cammarota is simply not able to replace Gravante who played great during the start of season. We were very lucky to keep a goalless draw after 45 minutes.
I tried to encourage my men who seemed to be tired and lethargic. But it didn't helped and the deciding goal came after Doumbia lost the ball in midfield, my goalkeeper came out too slowly and the Vittoria attacker did a nice job to score. In the remaining 30 minutes we came never close to equalize, not even getting a shot on target in the whole game.
After six game we are 9th which is rather good. But the two last games made me worried. We are not able to replace even two key members when they are out with injury.

zipman

09.10.05

Elsewhere:

My beloved Tromsdalen UIL win 2nd division group 4 in Norway to win promotion to 1st Division! Sadly stinky Vålerenga wins Norwegian Tippeliga.

zipman

15.10.05 - 16:00 - Flaminio, Rome - Serie C2/C

Cisco Roma 6th (Latium) - Melfi 9th 1:2 (1:0)

Dry 18°C
Attendance: 736
Referee: Piero Bacci

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Marciano - Fumagalli - Cuomo - Avolio (c)
Rodio - La Porta - Esposito - Gravante
Lauria - Roberto

Goals:
1:0 (2')
1:1 Lauria (47')
1:2 Roberto (87')

MoM:
Francesco Roberto (ST, Melfi, decided the game for us even if he was injured)

After two lousy games I decided to rent a train for our fans to make the road game against Cisco a home match. Thankfully I recently made some nice profits with my Fjord Seafood stocks, so I could afford the 5.000 € for Trenitalia easily. For the first time in history one of the high speed Euro Star trains stopped in Melfi and it was filled with Melfi maniacs to the last seat.
Anyway my squad wasn't allowed to celebrate with the fans as they did lousy recently and had to focus on the Cisco game by watching tapes from the two last defeats during the five hour train ride.
Cisco plays their games in the nice Flumini stadium, but sadly there were hardly any fans who showed up. So the game became a fiesta in yellow and green and Cisco representatives were more than surprised when they saw our hordes arrive.
Again I made some chances: Marciano was back at DL, while Fumagalli played DC for the first time. Selvaggi who did well so for got some rest at DMC and was replaces by Rodio. Gravante got another chance at AMC, while La Porta replaced Doumbia at ML. Roberto got another start alongside Lauria up front.
But oh well, it was all in vain. Cisco had a great chance right after kick-off and only 60 seconds later they took the lead. My playmaked Gravante played a lovely pass towards the opposite (!) striker who scored easily from 25 yards as our goalkeeper was not at all prepared for such an interception. Once again we as well as our fans in the stands were in shock and it was only our goalkeeper Nicoletti who kept us in the game. Cisco wasted at least half a dozen chances before the whistle, while we only managed two half chances.
During the break I got rather angry for the first time this season. Gravante was benched for Doumbia, who took over left midfield, while La Porta was our new playmaker. Finally my guys seemed to understand what I mean and looked like a new team after the break. Doumbia got the ball on the left side, crossed to Roberto whose header was saved superbly, but magic Lauria scored on the rebound. He scored 6 out of 11 Melfi goals this season. After 59 minutes we had another chance through Esposito, but it went wide by inches. Then it was the Nicoletti show again, who saved three good Cisco chances in only seven minutes. The hosts eventually scored an offside goal after 79 minutes. The last ten minutes were like a thriller. Both teams had chances to win the game, but Roberto was the unlikely hero. Signalizing an injury he was about to get substituted, but his superb heading ability made him a gamewinner when he converted another Doumbia cross. The last seven minutes we switched to a 5-4-1 which was enough to secure the four points.
Our fans were in absolute ecstacy turning Flaminio in a Sant'Abruzzese at Rome. I called Trenitalia to tell them that the train should be postponed until late in the evening. Even Chairman Guiseppe Maglione was hyper and invited team and fans to Trastevere to have a proper celebration in the capital. We didn't leave it before 2 o'clock in the morning.

zipman

23.10.05 - 15:00 - D'Alcontres, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto - Serie C2/2

Igea Virtus 6th (Sicilia) - Melfi 2nd 2:2 (2:2)

Dry 29°C
Attendance: 1332
Referee: Emilio Ostinelli

Melfi (4-4-2)
Nicoletti
Marciano - Fumagalli - Cuomo - Avolio (c)
Rodio - Doumbia - Esposito - La Porta
Lauria - Roberto

Goals:
0:1 La Porta (24' - direct freekick)
0:2 La Porta (27' - direct freekick)
1:2 (29')
2:2 (35')

Sent off:
Igea Virtus (26' - direct)
Fumagalli (31' - two yellow)

MoM:
Antonio La Porta (AM RL, Melfi, the Juninho of Melfi)

After the lovely trip to Roma, now another long trip to Barcel(l)ona. No, Ronaldinho and friends didn't move down to Serie C2/C, but there's also a town called Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto on Sicily, not very far from Messina. The bookmakers had the local team Igea Virtus as clear favorites, so we were warned. I almost kept to the slogan "never change a winning team", but Gravante was sent to bench, while Doumbia started again. I also switched Marciano and Fumagalli between DL and DC as Marciano seems to be better suited for center.
My yellow and green started like a thunderstorm and simply roled over Igea Virtus. We had the ball over 60 % and the hosts created simply nothing. After 24 minutes Lauria was fouled and La Porta converted the freekick in fashion. Only three minutes later Roberto got clean through on goal before was hacked over 20 yards before the goal. Red Card for the defender and another jewel by La Porta. I felt like this could become a memorable day again. Very wrong. Another two minutes later we lost the ball in midfield and the host scored with first shot on goal. Well, hot game with many bad tackles. Fumagalli couldn't keep cool and collected his second yellow card. Marini the Igea Virtus striker brought a thrilling quarter to an end by equalizing the game. They hat two shots on goal and scored twice. My switch in defense was not a good one.
Second half was far less entertaining but we simply couldn't break Igea Virtus' back three as I had Lauria as sole striker now. They themselves didn't create much as well. We should have won this game easily, but we will take this point as well.