League Play-Off

Hartlepool Park
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Spike Holloway made the kick off and thus started the match. In the 5th match minute, Hartlepool was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Jasper White to maneuver through the defense. Leo Clarke charged in rather forcefully in the 11th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Leo Clarke the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Ian Longstaff showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Spike Holloway in the 19th minute of the match. Jim Newbury in the 21stth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Alastair Hill, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. The supporters of Fletching booed when Hartlepool was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 22 match minutes in a wonderful position. Tony Rashleigh didn't get a good kick on the ball. Spike Holloway's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Ian Longstaff read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 26th minute of play. In the 27th minute Spike Holloway shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Ian Longstaff saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Micheal Groom had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 33rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Philip Peat received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 40th minute. Ian Longstaff tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Hartlepool's Micheal Groom got a good chance for a goal in the 46th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. The first half was very even, with the score at 1-1 when the whistle went for half-time. The players welcomed the break and quickly retired to the dressing rooms.

In a very dangerous position, a player in Hartlepool fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 55th minute. Penalty! In the 57th minute there was a penalty for Fletching. Reggie Baker stepped forward and shot the ball to the right of a diving Ian Longstaff. 1-2. When Jim Newbury came up free with the goalie in the 62nd minute, the Hartlepool 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 Jim Newbury couldn't finish the play. 66 minutes into the match, Jim Newbury notched a goal, 2-2, to the right of Fletching's Alastair Hill. Alastair Hill was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Alastair Hill showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Jim Newbury in the 70th minute of the match. 72 minutes into the game, one of Fletching:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. Fletching:s Alastair Hill showed great skill when he stopped Tony Rashleigh:s penalty. After a long run with the ball, Tony Rashleigh did a trick in the 74th minute in front of Fletching's goalkeeper, who threw himself to the side. After that it was simple to shoot 3-2. An impressive performance by Hartlepool's Tony Rashleigh! After some careless play in the Fletching defense, Micheal Groom kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Alastair Hill. The Fletching fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Alastair Hill should have stopped the shot. Micheal Groom scored 5-2 in the 81st match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Alastair Hill, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Jim Newbury fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 88th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Alastair Hill having to interfere. After 94 played minutes Spike Holloway rounded Hartlepool's defense and shot a beautiful shot into goal via left pole - 5-3. Hartlepool were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Fletching for a fine match.