League Play-Off

Brookong Park
Spectators: 36 (Terracing: 28, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Myles Butterfield kicked off to start the match. Lawrance Ross hit a great freekick 4 minutes into the match. Phil Dorrell sent away a hard shot on goal in the 12th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 17 minutes into the game, Edison Lingwoodock was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Brookong's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Merriton the free kick. Edison Lingwoodock hit a great freekick 17 minutes into the match. Dallas Todman took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Art Franklin, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Reese Holdsworth sent away a hard shot on goal in the 29th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 30 minutes, Howie Maciver mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Merriton and the Brookong players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 30th minute, Howie Maciver hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 31st minute Myles Butterfield shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Archie Millar saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The supporters of Brookong booed when Merriton was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 32 match minutes in a wonderful position. Carman Giles didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 37th minute Reese Holdsworth shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Archie Millar saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Dallas Todman showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Phil Dorrell in the 44th minute of the match. After some fancy dribbling in the 46th minute, Myles Butterfield managed to get in a good position for a shot. Brookong's supporters rose to their feet, but Myles Butterfield was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Archie Millar breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 47th minute, Reese Holdsworth fired away a killer shot towards the goal that, to the delight of Archie Millar, passed just outside the right post. Disappointed in the 0-1 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Phil Dorrell to make the kick off. Archie Millar made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Reese Holdsworth in the 52nd minute of play. Art Franklin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 53rd minute. Dallas Todman tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 55 minutes into the match, Brookong's goal looked a bit too open when Phil Dorrell came free, but Dallas Todman reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Dallas Todman made an important save on a dangerous shot by Art Franklin in the 57th minute. After 58 minutes, Bran Devere mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Brookong and the Merriton players grew even worse after the yellow card. Lawrance Leach hit a great freekick 61 minutes into the match. Otto Gwin, 62 minutes into the match, dribbled the ball up the side of the field and decided to take a long shot at the goal. Unfortunately, the ball was poorly hit and landed closer to the corner than to the goal. In the 63rd match minute, Brookong was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Benjamin Odonahoo to maneuver through the defense. The crowd rose to their feet as Phil Dorrell kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Dallas Todman. That made the score 0-2 in the 65 minute of play. Art Franklin received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 69th minute. Dallas Todman tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 71 minutes into the match, Brookong's goalkeeper Dallas Todman had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Phil Dorrell. In the 78th minute, Phil Dorrell 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. After 80 played minutes Merriton got a freekick which was hit by Art Franklin. In the 84th minute, Phil Dorrell 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. Merriton's Art Franklin got a good chance for a goal in the 85th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. With his leg Dallas Todman managed to avoid a goal in the 89thth minute, when Merriton's Phil Dorrell fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. The audience thought a goal was coming when Art Franklin got free with Dallas Todman in the 91st minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Dallas Todman made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Phil Dorrell in the 92nd minute of play. Reese Holdsworth might have been able to make a better finish in the 94th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Archie Millar. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Reese Holdsworth ran back to his position shaking his head. 94 minutes into the match, Myles Butterfield had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Archie Millar. Merriton's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Myles Butterfield was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-2. When the match was over Merriton could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Brookong throughout the match.