League Play-Off

Westhoughton
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) In the 2nd minute, Laurence Cotterill hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 3rd minute of the match Simon Spurgeon sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Neil Craven skillfully saved the ball. Sebastian Fitzsymon fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 5th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Thom Lineker having to interfere. 8 minutes into the match, Manchester United's goal looked a bit too open when Rufus Coburn came free, but Thom Lineker reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Rio Bayliff charged in rather forcefully in the 9th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Rio Bayliff the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After 12 minutes, Mick Oldham mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Hillhead and the Manchester United players grew even worse after the yellow card. A collision led to Hillhead getting a freekick after 12 minutes play. Mick Oldham hit a great ball. Laurence Cotterill sent away a hard shot on goal in the 20th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. A collision led to Hillhead getting a freekick after 25 minutes play. Laurence Cotterill hit a great ball. After 26 played minutes, Manchester United's Simon Spurgeon shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Neil Craven came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Manchester United reached it. An unexpectedly hard shot by Sebastian Fitzsymon in the 28th minute of play forced Manchester United's goalkeeper Thom Lineker to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Neil Craven made a fantastic save in the 29th minute, when Roger Dryden sent off a good shot on target. Sean Barraclough charged in rather forcefully in the 31st minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Sean Barraclough the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. After 31 played minutes Manchester United got a freekick which was hit by Sean Barraclough. 34 minutes into the match, Manchester United's goal looked a bit too open when Rufus Coburn came free, but Thom Lineker reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 38th minute Rufus Coburn shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Thom Lineker saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The Hillhead fans' excitement grew in the 38th match minute when Hillhead's Rufus Coburn looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 0-1 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. Thom Lineker showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Rufus Coburn, who was totally free with the ball in the 48th minute.

Rufus Coburn received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 62nd minute. Thom Lineker tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 63 played minutes Manchester United got a freekick which was hit by Sean Barraclough. When Sebastian Fitzsymon came up free with the goalie in the 64th minute, the Hillhead 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 Sebastian Fitzsymon couldn't finish the play. Manchester United's Thom Lineker played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Rio Eadan in the 67th minute of play. Rio Eadan sent away a hard shot on goal in the 70th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Rufus Coburn had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 71st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Thom Lineker made a fantastic save in the 73rd minute, when Rufus Coburn sent off a good shot on target. Cliff Cox succeeded in the game's 80th minute to shoot an unreachable shot under the crossbar and scored - 1-1. Manchester United's Thom Lineker proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 85th minute of the match, managed to save Manchester United from getting a goal against them. After having played for 87 minutes, Sebastian Fitzsymon managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Hillhead's supporters crossed their fingers, but Sebastian Fitzsymon was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. The audience was convinced that Rio Eadan's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Thom Lineker was relentless in the 90th minute of the game. Thom Lineker made an important save on a dangerous shot by Rufus Coburn in the 93rd minute. In the 95th match minute, Manchester United was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Roger Dryden to maneuver through the defense. The crowd rose to their feet as Sebastian Fitzsymon kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Thom Lineker. That made the score 1-2 in the 97 minute of play. When the match was over Hillhead could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Manchester United throughout the match.