League

Shrewsbury Stadium
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Andy Holt started the match with the kick off. Andy Holt charged in rather forcefully in the 5th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Andy Holt the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Andy Holt in the 7th minute of play forced Castle Donington's goalkeeper Gerry Tyrell to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Tyrone Lonsdale kicked well hit freekick during the 8th minute of the match. Alec Milburn sent away a hard shot on goal in the 9th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Andy Holt sent away a hard shot on goal in the 11th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Tyrone Lonsdale's late challenge caught a Shrewsbury AFC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Tyrone Lonsdale helped the player get up and apologised. Tyrone Lonsdale hit a great freekick 15 minutes into the match. Gerry Tyrell made a fantastic save in the 20th minute, when Alec Milburn sent off a good shot on target. The audience was convinced that Andy Holt's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Gerry Tyrell was relentless in the 21st minute of the game. When Kris Dawson fell near the penalty area in the 23rd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Castle Donington's protests and gave Kris Dawson a yellow card for diving instead. The supporters of Shrewsbury AFC booed when Castle Donington was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 23 match minutes in a wonderful position. Kris Dawson didn't get a good kick on the ball. Andy Holt recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 27th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Alec Milburn fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 32nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Gerry Tyrell having to interfere. Alec Milburn could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 36th minute of the match, but Gerry Tyrell made a huge save. After having played for 41 minutes, Andy Holt managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Shrewsbury AFC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Andy Holt was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

In the 53rd minute Alec Milburn shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gerry Tyrell saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Andy Holt sent away a hard shot on goal in the 54th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 58 played minutes Castle Donington got a freekick which was hit by Kris Dawson. Alec Milburn received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 61st minute. Gerry Tyrell tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Rodd Delamore made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Damien Wild in the 68th minute of play. In the 72nd minute, Andy Holt left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Shrewsbury AFC fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-0. An unexpectedly hard shot by Andy Holt in the 79th minute of play forced Castle Donington's goalkeeper Gerry Tyrell to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. If Alec Milburn had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 81st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. When Ivor Garrett fell near the penalty area in the 85th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Shrewsbury AFC's protests and gave Ivor Garrett a yellow card for diving instead. After 85 played minutes Shrewsbury AFC got a freekick which was hit by Ivor Garrett. In the 87th minute Andy Holt shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gerry Tyrell saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line.