League Play-Off

Novato Park
Spectators: 36 (Terracing: 28, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Randell Rivera started the match with the kick off. 3 minutes into the game, Antoine Guerra was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Grand Forks AFC's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Novatoo the free kick. Antoine Guerra hit a great freekick 3 minutes into the match. Randell Rivera sent away a hard shot on goal in the 5th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Antoine Guerra might have been able to make a better finish in the 7th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Nicholas Wolff. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Antoine Guerra ran back to his position shaking his head. 8 minutes into the game, Grand Forks AFC's Dan Cuevas nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Nicholas Wolff made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-1. Nicholas Wolff made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Antoine Guerra in the 12th minute of play. Dan Cuevas's late challenge caught a Novatoo's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Dan Cuevas helped the player get up and apologised. Dan Cuevas kicked well hit freekick during the 18th minute of the match. Randell Rivera blasted a shot towards the goal in the 21st minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Carson Wilhelm having to make a save. In the 23rd minute, Dan Cuevas hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After a defensive mix-up in Grand Forks AFC's zone, Randell Rivera stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Carson Wilhelm came out of the goal and Randell Rivera tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Ross Burch struck a weak shot in the 30th minute. Carson Wilhelm didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Novatoo. Ed McCloud recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 35th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Randell Rivera struck a weak shot in the 39th minute. Carson Wilhelm didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Novatoo. After 42 played minutes Grand Forks AFC got a freekick which was hit by Ed McCloud. Carson Wilhelm came out of the goal in the 46th minute to try and stop a shot by Novatoo's Randell Rivera. But to his dismay, Randell Rivera quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-2. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 1-2.

The wind increased when Mason Minton made the kick off in the second half. If Nigel Whalen had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 61st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After 62 minutes, Mason Minton mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Grand Forks AFC and the Novatoo players grew even worse after the yellow card. Mason Minton kicked well hit freekick during the 62nd minute of the match. Antoine Guerra fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 65th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Nicholas Wolff having to interfere. After 67 played minutes Novatoo got a freekick which was hit by Nigel Whalen. James Starnes received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 70th minute. Carson Wilhelm tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 71st match minute, Novatoo was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Thomas Solis to maneuver through the defense. Mason Minton fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 73rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Nicholas Wolff having to interfere. If Ed McCloud had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 76th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After 82 minutes of play, Novatoo's Devin Oliver made it 2-3 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Carson Wilhelm was left in no man's land by his defense there! In the 93rd minute of the match Leonard Gann shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Carson Wilhelm showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. 94 minutes into the match, Novatoo's goal looked a bit too open when Ed McCloud came free, but Nicholas Wolff reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Grand Forks AFC eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.