League

Maffe Stadion
Spectators: 6706 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1706, VIP seats: 0) 6 minutes into the match, Club Maffe's goal looked a bit too open when Edwin Van Poucke came free, but Harold Kerckmans reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Edwin Van Poucke received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 8th minute. Harold Kerckmans tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 10 minutes into the match, Essen's Thobias De Cerpel sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Harold Kerckmans narrowly saved just below the crossbar. 12 minutes into the match, Essen's goalkeeper Willy Tubbackx had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Ernest Bruyneel. Edwin Van Poucke sent away a hard shot on goal in the 13th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Club Maffe's Harold Kerckmans played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Thobias De Cerpel in the 17th minute of play. The supporters of Club Maffe booed when Essen was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 19 match minutes in a wonderful position. Lode Duchateau didn't get a good kick on the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Edwin Van Poucke in the 23rd minute of play forced Club Maffe's goalkeeper Harold Kerckmans to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Willy Tubbackx came out of the goal in the 26th minute to try and stop a shot by Club Maffe's Ernest Bruyneel. But to his dismay, Ernest Bruyneel quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-0. Ernest Bruyneel recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 29th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Harold Kerckmans made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Thobias De Cerpel in the 34th minute of play. Jeoffrey Uijterhove hit a great freekick 34 minutes into the match. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Jeoffrey Uijterhove during the 36th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 36 played minutes Club Maffe got a freekick which was hit by Jeoffrey Uijterhove. When Ernest Bruyneel fell near the penalty area in the 38th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Club Maffe's protests and gave Ernest Bruyneel a yellow card for diving instead. If Arno Van Huyck had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 43rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Ernest Bruyneel fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 44th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Willy Tubbackx having to interfere. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Arno Van Huyck stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. Sylvain Scheppers placed the ball on the penalty spot and got himself ready to shoot. Post out! After a rather tough play, Essen's Pieterjan Figaro got a free kick in the 59th minute. The supporters of Club Maffe booed when Essen was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 66 match minutes in a wonderful position. Antoine Saelens didn't get a good kick on the ball. Sylvain Scheppers took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 67th minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Willy Tubbackx. Essen's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. Edwin Van Poucke took the ball and in the 68 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Harold Kerckmans. Harold Kerckmans dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-1. Willy Tubbackx stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Arno Van Huyck's shot from short distance in the 73rd minute. Ernest Bruyneel sent away a hard shot on goal in the 74th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 76th minute, Essen's Thobias De Cerpel dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 1-2. When Ernest Bruyneel came up free with the goalie in the 88th minute, the Club Maffe 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 Ernest Bruyneel couldn't finish the play. If Arno Van Huyck had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 91st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After a defensive mix-up in Club Maffe's zone, Antoine Saelens stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Harold Kerckmans came out of the goal and Antoine Saelens tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. 94 minutes into the game, one of Club Maffe:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. After having played for 98 minutes, Thobias De Cerpel managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Essen's supporters crossed their fingers, but Thobias De Cerpel was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Thobias De Cerpel in the 101st minute of play forced Club Maffe's goalkeeper Harold Kerckmans to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The away crowd were delighted with the way their team had played and cheered loudly when the final whistle sounded. Essen walked away with the win, even though the match was close until the end.