League Play-Off

Thunderdome
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Rick Pugh made the kick off which started today's match. After a rather tough play, Boricua Islanders's Curt Lugo got a free kick in the 2nd minute. When Oswaldo Ali came up free with the goalie in the 4th minute, the Tampa Bay 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 Oswaldo Ali couldn't finish the play. Rick Pugh might have been able to make a better finish in the 5th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Patrick McNeal. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Rick Pugh ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 6th minute, Rick Pugh 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. 12 minutes into the match, Boricua Islanders's Damien Rowley sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Miles Roy narrowly saved just below the crossbar. A collision led to Tampa Bay getting a freekick after 19 minutes play. Max Farris hit a great ball. The audience was convinced that Bernardo McCoy's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Miles Roy was relentless in the 21st minute of the game. Bernardo McCoy might have been able to make a better finish in the 22nd minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Miles Roy. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Bernardo McCoy ran back to his position shaking his head. Damien Rowley scored 0-1 in the 24th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Miles Roy, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Oswaldo Ali sent away a hard shot on goal in the 28th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. When Rocco Proctor fell near the penalty area in the 32nd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Boricua Islanders's protests and gave Rocco Proctor a yellow card for diving instead. Oswaldo Alis short, quick shot in the 33rdth minute got Patrick McNeal to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. In the 38th minute Damien Rowley shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Miles Roy saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Patrick McNeal took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Rick Pugh, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Patrick McNeal made a fantastic save in the 41st minute, when Oswaldo Ali sent off a good shot on target. If Oswaldo Ali had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 45th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Boricua Islanders's Patrick McNeal proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 47th minute of the match, managed to save Boricua Islanders from getting a goal against them. The Tampa Bay players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Boricua Islanders were winning 0-1.

The wind increased when Damien Rowley made the kick off in the second half. 54 minutes into the match, Rick Pugh had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Patrick McNeal. Boricua Islanders's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Rick Pugh was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-1. Patrick McNeal stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Oswaldo Ali's shot from short distance in the 61st minute. In the 62nd minute, Oswaldo Ali 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. Oswaldo Ali sent away a hard shot on goal in the 65th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Rick Pugh fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 67th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Patrick McNeal having to interfere. 69 minutes into the game, Tampa Bay's Oswaldo Ali nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Patrick McNeal made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-1. After a rather tough play, Tampa Bay's Max Farris got a free kick in the 77th minute. 80 minutes into the match, Boricua Islanders's goal looked a bit too open when Oswaldo Ali came free, but Patrick McNeal reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After some fancy dribbling in the 83rd minute, Rick Pugh managed to get in a good position for a shot. Tampa Bay's supporters rose to their feet, but Rick Pugh was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Patrick McNeal breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. 85 minutes into the match, Boricua Islanders's goal looked a bit too open when Oswaldo Ali came free, but Patrick McNeal reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 86th minute Rick Pugh shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Patrick McNeal saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Oswaldo Ali fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 90th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Patrick McNeal having to interfere. Rick Pugh scored 3-1 in the 93rd match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Patrick McNeal, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Boricua Islanders's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.