retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 26th September 2004

Legnano arrive in Ragusa for our next fixture, a team who are freshly promoted from Serie D after being relegated from Serie C2/A the previous season. We keep the same lineup for the third match running.

Serie C2/C
Ragusa v Legnano

Ragusa lineup - Di Giovanni; Tamburro(c), Attewell, Alderuccio, Sabellini; Bonaffini, Cirillo, Pellegrino, Chiavarini; Fonseca, Baggio.

The pink shirts of Legnano manage to keep us at bay for the opening 20 minutes, before Chiavarini and Baggio link again down the right and the striker places his shot inside the near post. Four minutes later we push up at a free-kick looking for a quick second goal, but Legnano clear and mount a stunning counterattack that ends with a great strike from right-back Gennaro Sardo into the top corner of Di Giovanni's net.

It is 1-1 at half-time but we know that we have had the edge and the goals will surely come in the second half. Again it takes 20 minutes for us to find the opening, but in the mood that Daniel Fonseca is in then there was only one outcome. He picked up a loose pass, turned his marker with ease, and struck the ball past Enrico Malatesta in the Legnano goal.

At 2-1 we start to look more comfortable and search for the third goal to kill off the game, although Legnano's ability on the break is in the back of our minds after what they did in the first half. In the 76th minute we can start to relax a little as Fonseca played Bonaffini in down the left, his cross eluded the lunging Chiavarini, but Eddy Baggio was coming in behind to slam a fierce volley into the roof of the net. Ten minutes later Franco Chiavarini went on another raid down the right channel, shaped to shoot, clipped a deft chip inside, and with Malatesta left in no-mans land by the fake it was an easy task for Baggio to make it 4-1.

In the dying minutes Simone Tamburro carelessly picked up a second yellow card for a trip on Bernadi, forcing Bonaffini to drop back to fill in at left back. Simone handed the captain's arm band to Gaspare Pellegrino on his way off the pitch, and I suppose if you're going to get sent off then 4-1 up is the best time to do it! Being down to 10-men didn't slow Eddy Baggio down though, and when Daniel Fonseca played him in behind the defence there was still time to bag his fourth with an emphatic finish across the keeper.

Final score: Ragusa 5 - 1 Legnano


The final scoreline flattered us a little but we were more than worthy of the three points. The relationship between Eddy Baggio and Daniel Fonseca is really clicking at the moment and it is starting to look like we could have the most dangerous strike partnership in the division on our hands. Not only that but the win sends us top of the table on 9 points, ahead of Paterno, Varese and Imolese on goal difference thanks to our 12 goals in 4 games.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 3rd October 2004

The new month brings an old fixture, as we travel back across to south-east Italy to repeat our Serie C Cup trip to Brindisi. Antonio Di Giovanni was unfortunate enough to tear a groin muscle in training so Nicolas Cinalli will be allowed another chance to reclaim the goalkeeper's jersey, and with Simone Tamburro suspended, Stefano Guastella gets a rare start and young Gaspare Pellegrino keeps the captaincy.

Serie C2/C
Brindisi v Ragusa

Ragusa lineup - Cinalli; Guastella, Attewell, Alderuccio, Sabellini; Bonaffini, Cirillo, Pellegrino(c), Chiavarini; Fonseca, Baggio.

As in our last meeting just over a month ago, there are two goals in the first 20 minutes. With 5 minutes on the clock Gaspare Pellegrino won a header to find Eddy Baggio, the striker won the tussle with his marker to squeeze a shot in on goal, and despite the keeper getting his hand to it the ball still found the net.

This time however, the second goal belongs to the home side and arrives in the 15th minute. A nice passing move involving Iunca and Menolascina resulted in a certain Nazzareno Scopelliti sending Andrea D'Amble into the area, and his cross from the right saw Iunco following up to find the bottom corner of the net, again via the goalkeeper's hand.

The score remains 1-1 at half-time, thanks partly to Cinalli making a good point blank save from D'Amble as the half drew to a close. At the break Manolo Manoni gets a chance to show what he can do by replacing Bonaffini, in the hope that it will give us more attacking options in the second period.

In the 62nd minute a close game is unbalanced when Eddy Baggio wriggled into the area and fizzed a dangerous ball across the six yard box. Daniel Fonseca and Brindisi centre back Calabro both went in for it, and from the challenge the ball squirmed into the net with Fonseca credited the goal. It takes until the 83rd minute for us to really clinch the match, when Marco Cirillo climbed highest to head home a Fonseca corner.

Brindisi manage a consolation in the dying seconds when Alderuccio is called for pushing in the area and Pierluigi Orlandini tucks the penalty kick away, but it is too late in the day for the home side to steal a result.

Final score: Brindisi 2 - 3 Ragusa


Paterno and Imolese keep pace with us at the top with wins of their own. Daniel Fonseca, 7 goals, and Eddy Baggio, 6 goals, are now holding the top two places in the scoring charts.


Wednesday 6th October 2004

A confident performance by the Italian national side tonight saw them deal with Poland 3-1 at the San Siro. Goals from young Juventus midfielder Matteo Brighi, Vincenzo Montella and Christian Vieri, helped Italy continue their quest to qualify from World Cup qualifying group 1.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 10th October 2004

8th placed Gladiator are next to enter the Aldo Campo Selvaggio, for league game number six. Unfortunately we have lost a few players during an injury-plagued week, that has left us facing 2 weeks without Stuart Attewell and 3 weeks without Alessandro Bonaffini. Also missing for 3 weeks will be Danilo Sabellini, after x-rays showed that he had managed to fracture his jaw.

Conversely, Giuseppe Lenea has returned to full training again after his second long-term injury and will sit on the bench today. Manolo Manoni and veteran centre back Dario Italia benefit from the other injuries to be named in the starting eleven.

Serie C2/C
Ragusa v Gladiator

Ragusa lineup - Cinalli; Tamburro(c), Italia, Alderuccio, Guastella; Manoni, Cirillo, Pellegrino, Chiavarini; Fonseca, Baggio.

While our slightly altered defence attempted to get used to each other, Gladiator were able to create some openings but Cinalli kept them out with a couple of very good saves. As the first half progressed we started to take control, and in the 36th minute Eddy Baggio made the visitors pay for not taking advantage of their early chances by popping up to head a Fonseca corner down into the bottom corner of the net.

The score remained 1-0 through the early part of the second half. In the 68th minute Manoni passed inside to Fonseca, who turned and slid a through ball in behind the defence for Baggio, and he was able to round the keeper and ram home a low finish past the desperate covering defender. With 10 minutes to go Baggio had a chance for a hattrick from Chiavarini's pass, and he turned his marker before unleashing a powerful strike into the roof of the net.

Another late penalty conceded by Manoni was converted by D'Onghia, but Eddy Baggio's hattrick proved more than sufficient for us to notch our 5th straight victory.

Final score: Ragusa 3 - 1 Gladiator


A loss for Imolese and a draw for Paterno mean that we are now top by right of points, as the league table starts to take shape. We will have to travel to Paterno in two weeks' time to earn the right to stay at the summit, but for now we can enjoy the extended break as Serie C2/C leaders.

Shermanez

good to see you still battling through Italy's lower reaches nerf! All the best this season

retired_xs2khizar

Gino: Yes I'm still here. It quickly became clear that the second season was going to be tough, but we've battled through and seem to have emerged a better team (touch wood). Thanks for the encouragement
Juventinogdt: Yep, things have started well. Cheers


Friday 22nd October 2004

The break proved to be less enjoyable than expected, as I have now been presented with the prospect of losing another two first-team players to injury. Franco Chiavarini's strained ankle ligaments will need 3 weeks of rest, and Gaspare Pellegrino will be sidelined for 2 weeks with a groin strain.

The one piece of good news is that goalkeepers Nicolas Cinalli and Giuseppe Lenea, who both had contracts that expire at the end of the season, have signed extensions to their deals until 2007 and 2008 respectively.


Sunday 24th October 2004

Paterno have started the season almost as well as we have so this will surely be by far the biggest test so far. With so many injuries hitting the squad all at once we cannot even field a full side, forced into drafting in a couple of local Ragusa youngsters to fill the gaps. Eighteen year olds Salvatore Filipponi and Adriano Vaccaro, the nephew of our coach Corrado Vaccaro, will find themselves suddenly thrown into a full senior Serie C2/C match. It's a ridiculous scenario but there is nothing we can do about it, and it was literally a case of registering the first two people we could get our hands on before the authorities threatened to make us forfeit.

Serie C2/C
Paterno v Ragusa

Ragusa lineup - Cinalli; Tamburro(c), Attewell, Alderuccio, Guastella; (Filipponi), Cirillo, (Vaccaro), Manoni; Fonseca, Baggio.

The first half is thankfully quiet and uneventful, until my mood is worsened by Manolo Manoni's injury late on. Striker Claudio Gallicchio comes on to play on the right side of a midfield that technically now contains no genuine Ragusa midfielders.

Paterno started to get more and more on top in the second half, and although we were grimly hanging on for a 0-0 draw it just wasn't going to be possible. In the 77th minute the ball dropped for Paterno striker Ascenzi in the area and he rifled it into the net, then followed it up 10 minutes later with a header from a corner.

Final score: Paterno 2 - 0 Ragusa


I cannot describe how furious I am with these injuries! Imagine going to the 2nd place side with a full strength team and winning there, to build a bigger lead... but no, injuries have cost us any chance we had of that. Fortunately Manolo Manoni has merely sprained his wrist so he will not be adding to the long list.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 31st Octover 2004

The journey to Meda is a long one, right up to the northern reaches of Italy close to Monza. Fortunately Franco Chiavarini, Danilo Sabellini and Alessandro Bonaffini are fit enough to join us, though Pellegrino and Caramel are still out. I have decided to experiment with central defender Dario Italia in a holding midfield role, to see if we can add a bit of bite to the centre of the park.

Serie C2/C
Meda v Ragusa

Ragusa lineup - Cinalli; Tamburro(c), Attewell, Alderuccio, Sabellini; Manoni, Cirillo, Italia, Chiavarini; Fonseca, Baggio.

After a less than impressive start, in the 19th minute Eddy Baggio capitalised on a hesitation by Meda captain Riccardo de Luca to steal the ball, run on, and chip goalkeeper Thomas Berretta to put us 1-0 up. The goal settles the team down and we start to pass it around a bit, and on 25 minutes, after Tamburro, Sabellini and Alderuccio had stroked the ball around between them at the back, Alderuccio's long ball found Daniel Fonseca free in behind the defence to make it 2-0.

With the first attack of the second half Daniel Fonseca made it 3-0, dazzling his marker completely and firing a fierce shot on goal. Meda keeper Berretta got something on it but the ball had enough power to go through him and trickle over the line, and that was the game as good as won. As usual our complacency causes a slight lapse in concentration, allowing Meda number 11 Nino to score a tap in on 86 minutes after Cinalli had saved Minnucci's header.

Final score: Meda 1 - 3 Ragusa


Paterno win at the top so we stay in second. Imolese also win, beating Gladiator 1-0, to keep them level with us on 18 points.

retired_kamccallon

Well i'm off for the summer so dont' know how much i'll be able to read for the next month or so. When i get back, i hope to see Ragusa battling in Serie A. Still enjoying it nerf, have a good summer.

mike29

Great story nerf !

retired_xs2khizar

I think it's a bit early atm to be setting sights on Serie A Agathron! I hope you have a great summer

Cheers awhec


Sunday 7th November 2004

Latina have made an average start to the season and currently stand in 7th position. Gaspare Pellegrino gives us a boost by recovering from his groin strain, and he replaces Dario Italia in the only change from the team that won at Meda.

Serie C2/C
Ragusa v Latina

Ragusa lineup - Cinalli; Tamburro(c), Attewell, Alderuccio, Sabellini; Manoni, Cirillo, Pellegrino, Chiavarini; Fonseca, Baggio.

The possession is all ours, but Latina are resiliant and the first half passes with us barely managing a meaningful attempt on goal. In typical hit-and-run fashion, Latina's only significant attack sees Simonetti receiving a cross from the right and slamming home a goal in the 33rd minute.

The second half is simply dire, as Latina look to hold on for what they have and for some reason we have lost all notion of creativity. Manoni comes on as a substitute for Bonaffini, but the game drifts away and Latina take the win.

Final score: Latina 1 - 0 Ragusa


I am not a happy person in the changing room after the match, and I make sure that I let the players know about it. We really shouldn't be losing games like that at home, especially when we have so much of the ball. Latina deserve credit for some expert defending, but the lack of chances is inexcusable and very frustrating. At least the news that Imolese have surprisingly lost to 15th placed Legnano means that we are lucky enough to stay 2nd.

retired_xs2khizar

Sunday 21st November 2004

It's local derby time, as mid-table Gela make the short trip along the south coast to arrive here in Ragusa. You can bet your life that we will be fired up for this one, after having had a fortnight's break to stew over the frustration of the Latina game.

Alessandro Bonaffini will be unavailable for 4 weeks after straining ankle ligaments, but Pietro Alderuccio and Gaspare Pellegrino have both been able to shake off their various ailments in time to just about pass a fitness test for today. Similarly Vladimiro Caramel makes the bench for the first time since he dislocated his shoulder in September.

Serie C2/C
Ragusa v Gela

Ragusa lineup - Cinalli; Tamburro(c), Attewell, Alderuccio, Sabellini; Manoni, Cirillo, Pellegrino, Chiavarini; Fonseca, Baggio.

The coaching staff did their job and we sent the players out onto the pitch fired up for kick off. Gela are caught off balance by our aggressive start, and in the 4th minute Pellegrino's interception allows Chiavarini to lob the ball over the top of the defence. Daniel Fonseca took the shot early to curl the opening goal around the Gela keeper, 1-0.

Eddy Baggio twice fired shots narrowly over the bar but we are unable to extend the lead in the first half. At the half-time break Caramel makes a reappearance at the expense of Manoni, and he is involved in a move early in the second half. His reverse ball down the line searched out Fonseca, whose fantastic curling pass infield was controlled by Baggio in the area before ramming his shot emphatically into the roof of the net.

Gaspare Pellegrino limped off shortly afterwards, before we fashioned a wonderfully crafted move on the hour mark. Eddy Baggio laid the ball back to Chiavarini and sprinted on for the return pass, then helped it on to Daniel Fonseca. Fonseca's low curling ball across the area sent the ball back into Baggio's path once again, and the striker banged in his second of the match and his 12th league goal of the season.

The remainder of the game was a stroll at 3-0, but there was still time for a fourth. In the 89th minute, Daniel Fonseca's dangerously inswinging free-kick from the right found man of the match Marco Cirillo flying in for a close range diving header, giving Fonseca his third assist of the game.

Final score: Ragusa 4 - 0 Gela


That's more like it! There was only one team in it and our domination showed with the four goals we created. Daniel Fonseca was at the heart of most of the incisive play in the final third, having a hand in all of the goals, and continuing to link really well with Eddy Baggio. Marco Cirillo had an impressive game in midfield but also picked up his 4th yellow card, meaning he will be suspended for next week's match. It is possible that we might even be missing our entire central midfield at Giugliano, as Gaspare Pellegrino's foot is swollen and he faces a race to be fit again.

The chairman was understandably delighted with the emphatic derby win, though we stay 2nd in the table, a point beind Paterno and ahead of Imolese on goal difference. After 10 matches the Serie C2/C table looks like THIS.