League

Welford Stadium
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Leek's Hugh Lewington started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Tom Prendergast's late challenge caught a Leek's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Tom Prendergast helped the player get up and apologised. In the 3rd match minute, Welford was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Tom Prendergast to maneuver through the defense. Scott Peyton came out of the goal in the 6th minute to try and stop a shot by Leek's Hugh Lewington. But to his dismay, Hugh Lewington quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-1. In the 12th match minute, Leek was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Leon Lonsdale to maneuver through the defense. After recieving a nice pass, Welford's Clive Bowden tried to score from far away in the 13th minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. The audience was convinced that Tom Prendergast's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Phil Braithwaite was relentless in the 15th minute of the game. Gareth Rowell charged in rather forcefully in the 16th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Gareth Rowell the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After 16 played minutes Leek got a freekick which was hit by Gareth Rowell. In the 17th minute of the match Clive Bowden sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Phil Braithwaite skillfully saved the ball. Scott Peyton stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Cliff Hehir's shot from short distance in the 22nd minute. After a defensive mix-up in Welford's zone, Hugh Lewington stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Scott Peyton came out of the goal and Hugh Lewington tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Brandon Trunks sent away a hard shot on goal in the 27th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Stefan Bennet during the 29th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. In a very dangerous position, a player in Leek fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 29th minute. Penalty! In the 31st minute, Welford got a penalty, and Clive Bowden placed the ball unsaveable into goal, by the right post. After some fancy dribbling in the 34th minute, Cliff Hehir managed to get in a good position for a shot. Leek's supporters rose to their feet, but Cliff Hehir was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Scott Peyton breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. When Gareth Rowell was, once again, overly rough in his play he received his second yellow card and was ordered off the ground. 36 minutes had been played. In the 36th minute, Gareth Rowell hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Jeff Blackhurst kicked well hit freekick during the 41st minute of the match. After a defensive mix-up in Welford's zone, Cliff Hehir stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Scott Peyton came out of the goal and Cliff Hehir tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. A collision led to Leek getting a freekick after 45 minutes play. Billie Burns hit a great ball. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Tom Prendergast to strike the kick off in the second half. Cliff Hehir fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 54th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Scott Peyton having to interfere. Phil Braithwaite showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Brandon Trunks in the 56th minute of the match. In the 60th minute Tom Prendergast shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Phil Braithwaite saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Jeff Blackhurst received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 62nd minute. Phil Braithwaite tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Tom Prendergast sent away a hard shot on goal in the 65th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 66th minute, Cliff Hehir got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. When Brandon Trunks came up free with the goalie in the 71st minute, the Welford fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Brandon Trunks couldn't finish the play. Tom Prendergast fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 78th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Phil Braithwaite having to interfere. Brandon Trunks received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 84th minute. Phil Braithwaite tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 88th minute Tom Prendergast shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Phil Braithwaite saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After some fancy dribbling in the 93rd minute, Cliff Hehir managed to get in a good position for a shot. Leek's supporters rose to their feet, but Cliff Hehir was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Scott Peyton breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After having played for 94 minutes, Hugh Lewington managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Leek's supporters crossed their fingers, but Hugh Lewington was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. A collision led to Welford getting a freekick after 96 minutes play. Rich Beadle hit a great ball. Leek were unable to convert their possession into goals, allowing Welford to leave the ground with a draw.