League

Lilywhite stadium
Spectators: 7811 (Terracing: 5978, Seating: 1833, VIP seats: 0) Earlston's Damon Barugh started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Paz Staggard fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 5th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Edmonds Hands having to interfere. Paz Staggard sent away a hard shot on goal in the 7th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After some fancy dribbling in the 12th minute, Handley Greenbank managed to get in a good position for a shot. Backpacker FC's supporters rose to their feet, but Handley Greenbank was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Edmonds Hands breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Kris Brophy during the 16th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Backpacker FC:s Andy Belford showed great skill when he stopped Christian Sparrow:s penalty. In the 17th minute, Christian Sparrow left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Earlston fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-1. In the 23rd minute, Handley Greenbank 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. In the 30th minute Handley Greenbank shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Edmonds Hands saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. When the match had gone on for 33 minutes, Handley Greenbank took a quick shot and it went in 1-1 without a chance for Edmonds Hands to make any attempt to save it. Handley Greenbank received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 44th minute. Edmonds Hands tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Paz Staggard sent away a hard shot on goal in the 47th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. After 48 minutes, Ollie Waterland mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Earlston and the Backpacker FC players grew even worse after the yellow card. 47 minutes into the game, one of Earlston:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Handley Greenbank to make the kick off. Cullen Bromfield hit a great freekick 55 minutes into the match. When Grant Bowen got free in front of the goal in the 57th minute he wasn't very focused and chipped the ball just over the goal. Andy Belford was delighted since he was out of position and the ball would have got in if it had gone under the crossbar. If Grant Bowen had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 60th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 61 minutes into the game, Neil White was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Backpacker FC's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Earlston the free kick. After having played for 66 minutes, Paz Staggard managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Backpacker FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Paz Staggard was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Backpacker FC's Handley Greenbank got a good chance for a goal in the 68th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Handley Greenbank's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Edmonds Hands read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 75th minute of play. In the 77th minute Damon Barugh shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Andy Belford saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Andy Belford made an important save on a dangerous shot by Grant Bowen in the 79th minute. In the 82nd minute Paz Staggard shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Edmonds Hands saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Paz Staggard sent away a hard shot on goal in the 83rd minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. Handley Greenbank struck a weak shot in the 84th minute. Edmonds Hands didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Backpacker FC. After some careless play in the Backpacker FC defense, Grant Bowen kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Andy Belford. The Backpacker FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Andy Belford should have stopped the shot. Earlston were delighted with the way they had won the match. They had held their defensive line well and made the most of their chances, to claim a victory over Backpacker FC's much stronger midfield.