Season 2003-4

Opening of the new championship season against Anagennisis Dherynia at Makario stadium , in Nicosia , with the core of 2000 most loyal followers . It was a stressful win with a narrow , one goal difference in the final minutes . Against Zeljeznicar , for the UEFA cup (second leg home match ), our crowd was there in big numbers but left the stadium disappointed from the overall team performance against a better outfit which however , could have been challenged . The next championship match against Ethnikos Ahnas brought to GSZ Larnaca stadium about 3000 MAXHTEC . Two goals , scored at decisive moments relaxed the tension on the terrace . Against APOEL , we proved what could be the power of having a volcanic home stadium , with 5000 to 6000 MAXHTEC dispersed in the three home supporter terraces . Our "best clients" (After 14 years in a row , they never got to win a match at our home . They only got 3 draws ) had to hold their breath for 90 minutes , praying not see Anorthosis scoring against them . Two shots to the post , a massive number of lost scoring chances , kept a 1-1 draw to the end . APOEL chairman Prodromos Petrides admitted being lucky against a better team . You better see what the Service Crew experienced on the west terrace . Against Apollon Limassol the picture was disappointing , as far as the result is concerned . The hopes for the presence of a bigger number of Anorthosis supporters were also not verified . Our team was outplayed by the smart tactics of Apollon . There was ofcourse an effort by our players , although we expected much more from them . As in the previous game , we were unlucky in decisive moments and the goalposts became a part of the opponents defence again . Still , the absence of a gifted goal scorer was prevalent . Anorthosis surely could attract much more people than it did this match . There were roughly 4000 of us there . Next match was against Onisillos with a new coach . An easy game , as it seemed after we scored 3 goals , turned out to be a strong challenge , finishing with a narrow 3-2 win . Only the core of about 2000 MAXHTEC showed up . The same goes for the next matches . Next we had to suffer an appalling home defeat against Digenis . Against Paralimni , the team showed clear signs of recovery and finally got a difficult 3-2 win away from home . The most important match of the season was against Omonoia Nicosia at home . We lost 2-3 and at the same time lost all hopes for something good this season . Almost 5000 MAXHTEC were there . Next we played away against Pafos and lost 2-1 . Only the hardcore of 150 of us went there . Next match was home , against AEK Larnaca . An easy 4-0 win with only 1000 fans showing up , in a show of dissatisfaction for the poor overall team performance . We then lost against AEL Limassol 3-0 away . About a 1000 fans went to Tsireio Stadium . Because of the trouble that took place against Omomoia , we had to play our next home match at GSP Nicosia against Doxa earning an easy 4-0 win , with several young players joining the team . Only about 500 of us went there . The final match for the first round was away against Olympiakos Nicosia . It ended 1-1 . About a 1000 MAXHTEC were there . Next we had to face Anagennisis for the cup at their home , winning the match 4-2 relatively easy . About 1000 Anorthosis supporters were present , witnessing the effort for renewal . After this match we faced Ethnikos Ahnas at GSP stadium , finishing the home ban for 2 home games . Our opponents scored first , but the team was strong enough to win the game after scoring 2 goals . A 1000 passionate MAXHTEC helped the team to do that . Unlucky day with an injury for the young and very promising goalkeeper Giorgallides . Next game was against AEL Limassol at our home stadium . It was fair draw 1-1 . Anorthosis supporters were happy to see their first home game after a long time that day . More than 2000 MAXHTEC were there . Then we had to play against APOEL at their home in Nicosia . With the help of a penalty at the 40th second of the game , from a hostile referee towards Anorthosis we lost 2-0 . It really is worth mentioning that the TV commentator of the match during the live broadcast was provocatively predisposed against our team . All of this being an example of the corrupt conditions around football in Cyprus . 500 MAXHTEC went there under heavy rain and overshadowed the thousands of APOEL supporters at the end of the match with their chants , forcing Timour Ketsbaia to greet them despite of the defeat . Next we faced Apollon Limassol at Tsirio stadium , Limassol . As the game started the guy next to us says " Any moment Apollon gets a penalty kick " Within a few limutes he was right . But Anorthosis fought back , winning a proud 2-1 away victory . 2000 MAXHTEC were proud to be there and supported the team with power . Next game we had to face Salamina for the cup . The game ended with a 0-0 draw . Both teams had a fair number of scoring chances , both had two hits on the post and in the final minutes Anorthosis lost a penalty kick . It is worth mentioning that Salamina this season plays in the second division , and that they also originate from Famagusta . Anorthosis supporters were there in massive numbers , filling the away supporters terrace to its limit . Return to our home for a championship match , against Onisillos. Our opponents fought hard with a well build defence , but lost 1-0 in the end . We lost another penalty kick again . First game for the pair of new players from Georgia . Their overall performance was satisfactory . About 2000 MAXHTEC were there . next we faced Digenis away from home . Anorthosis earned an easy 3-0 win after a non productive first half . Due to the massive pressure that was exerted on Digenis our team scored 3 goals , winning the game . next game was against Salamina for the cup at home . The game was a classic match of the two Famagusta soccer teams . A very hard 1-0 win for Anorthosis in the end , pushing the team through to the next stage for the cup . Next game was against Paralimni at home . A clear 3-1 win with the Georgian player Tschitaisvili , scoring three times and Anorthosis playing a superb game . Our next game was "Mission China" . We had to face Omonoia away .( they are called Chinese , because of their blind devotion to the local communist party . Note that our communists still believe that using tanks to crush popular uprisings as happened in Berlin 1953 , Budapest 1956 , Prague 1968 , Poland in 1980-1 , Afghanistan 1980 , and Tien-en-men square recently , is a legitimate way to restore democracy . ) The game was a classic Anorthosis Omonoia challenge . We lost 2-1 with a lucky own goal for Omonoia . 3000 MAXHTEC had a thundering presence in our local "Beijing" . Next game was against Anagennisis at home . A difficult 2-1 win with Timour Ketsbaia , having to enter the game to score the winning goal , with one of his trademark shots . A.E.Pafos came to our home next week for another championship match . A 2-0 win for us and a good overall team performace . Next we faced AEK Larnaca away losing in an unbelievable way . We finished the first half with 3-1 for our team , but AEK did a comeback winning 4-3 in the extra time . Next we had to face AEL Limassol twice . The cup game was at Limassol . We lost 2-0 that game , with the core of a 1000 MAXHTEC there . Next game AEL came to our home , and managed to earn a point at the closing minutes with a lucky goal . Our team was unlucky again .

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