Sean Bingham weaves through the opposition; in support are PK Thorstenn, Michael Escribano and Vincent Tavernese. The Garden City Gladiators met the Jericho Lightning at St. Paul's soccer fields on Sunday October 23rd. Notwithstanding the rain of the prior weeks, the field was in great condition, and the white Gladiator uniforms contrasted crisply with the rich green of the grass. Neither team dominated the game immediately, and both keepers were involved in play within the early part of the first half as the teams alternated between offensive and defensive roles.

The Gladiators fought off the Lightning attacks; in one instance a hurried kick from a Jericho player bounced off the Garden City goal post, and in another Brandon Badgett cleared a loose ball from the Gladiator goal mouth. However, Gladiator keeper Danny Miller controlled his goal area, calling for balls when appropriate and meshing well with his defense. Garden City kept the Jericho defenders very busy, with several shots at the Lightning goal that stretched that team's keeper.

Sebastian Macias drives into the Jericho goal area with Sean Bingham ready to assist. Jericho scored first, a little over 20 minutes into the first half, when a free kick delivered the ball well into the Gladiator half of the field, and a firm kick from a Lightning forward help the ball to pass well out of the reach of any Garden City defender. The goal marked the first time that the Gladiators had trailed any opponent in a league game this season. The Gladiators pressed forward, undeterred by the score; several now-classic Gladiator movements brought the ball into the Lightning area and resulted in shots on that goal, but the score remained stubbornly 1-0 to Jericho.

Nick Fusco safely passes the ball away from the Gladiator goal; keeper Danny Miller keeps careful watch. In one exciting move, PK Thorstenn delivered a high cross from deep into the left corner of the Lightning territory and Sean Bingham narrowly missed a goal when his skillfully timed deflection missed the right post by mere inches. In other, Michael DiRusso crossed the ball to Sean Bingham who beat two Jericho defenders before making a tight pass to Vincent Tavernese whose shot came dangerously close to an equalizer for Garden City. Other players were equally active in the Lightning goal area: Michael Escribano, who had several shots at goal off passes from team mates Michael DiRusso and Alex Sapuppo, delivered a superb kick into the area where Mark Pallai and Brandon Badgett fought valiantly to even the score.

Michael Escribano skillfully controls the ball as Mark Pallai runs forward to support. Not all of the game occurred in the Jericho area, although Garden City dominated much of the play with their characteristic short and controlled passes. In one reversal of this play, Gladiator keeper Danny Miller's consistently sure hands secured a high bouncing ball from another threatening Jericho free kick. In another, a high corner kick by the Lightning was deflected from the Gladiator goal mouth by the head of Sean Proctor. After repelling the Lightning attacks, the Gladiator defense consciously directed the course of play, often from deep within their own territory. Sean Callahan, Nick Fusco, Brandon Badgett, Yohei Yamauchi and Sean Proctor deliberately moved the ball across the field with accurate passes to each other, before delivering the ball to the mid-fielders. On more than one occasion Sean Callahan cleverly involved keeper Danny Miller to respond to fast loose balls deep in Garden City territory, protecting them until they were close enough for Danny to clear to team mates well away from the goal.

The second half started with the score still in Jericho's favor, but a few minutes of sun in the otherwise overcast game seemed to promise a change in the Garden City fortunes. The Gladiators returned from the break refreshed, and continued to move the ball around the field with deliberation, probing the Lightning defenses before redirecting the attack to the other side of the field by way of passes to the mid-fielders and the defenders. Michael DiRusso, Kyle Lynch, Costa Trikas, PK Thorstenn and Alex Sapuppo worked well together to dominate the mid-field and to repeatedly deliver the ball to Michael Escribano, Vincent Tavernese, Sean Bingham, Sebastian Macias and Mark Pallai. But it was the nimble movements of Sean Bingham and Sebastian Macias that drew frequent cheers from the supporters as they dribbled the ball through the Lightning defenses, passing to their team mates or driving for the goal themselves. Sean Bingham and Sebastian Macias both came close enough to the Jericho goal to force that keeper to rush out in desperate defense of his line.

The repeated Gladiator attempts at goal paid off shortly before the referee blew the whistle for the end of the game. The movement started with Brandon Badgett receiving the ball from the Gladiator defense; Brandon Badgett carried the ball well into the Jericho half before passing it accurately to Michael Escribano who dribbled it close to the corner flag before turning and beating several defenders as he lifted the ball across the Lightning goal mouth. Several Gladiators were positioned in the goal area, but it was the foot of Alex Sapuppo that leveled the score as he calmly netted the ball to the extended applause of the Garden City supporters. Players, parents and supporters left the grounds shortly thereafter relieved that the Gladiator's unbeaten record for the season remained intact.

The Gladiators meet North Babylon in an away game on Sunday October 30th at 10:00 AM.