League

The Universe
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Huey Dawson started the match with the kick off. Steven Bensley hit a great freekick 4 minutes into the match. Lenny Halliday sent away a hard shot on goal in the 6th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. After a defensive mix-up in Carlin How Unite's zone, Lenny Halliday stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Nicky Bensley came out of the goal and Lenny Halliday tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Callum Swain fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 15th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Nicky Bensley having to interfere. After a rather tough play, Carlin How Unite's Ronnie Kershaw got a free kick in the 16th minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Huey Dawson in the 18th minute of play forced Black Universe's goalkeeper Derek Atkinson to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Derek Atkinson came out of the goal in the 19th minute to try and stop a shot by Carlin How Unite's Huey Dawson. But to his dismay, Huey Dawson quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 0-1. The supporters of Carlin How Unite booed when Black Universe was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 24 match minutes in a wonderful position. Lucas Cookson didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 27th minute of the match Carlin How Unite got a corner. Black Universe's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Luke Brearley ran over to the corner to take the kick. After a rather tough play, Carlin How Unite's Ashley Coulthard got a free kick in the 27th minute. Jonathan Smikle kicked well hit freekick during the 30th minute of the match. A collision led to Black Universe getting a freekick after 37 minutes play. Callum Swain hit a great ball. Luke Brearley might have been able to make a better finish in the 38th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Derek Atkinson. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Luke Brearley ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 43rd minute, Kris Cornforth 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. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-1 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

Derek Atkinson made a fantastic save in the 55th minute, when Steven Bensley sent off a good shot on target. Huey Dawson struck a weak shot in the 60th minute. Derek Atkinson didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Carlin How Unite. Kris Cornforth hit a great freekick 64 minutes into the match. Black Universe's Derek Atkinson played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Huey Dawson in the 67th minute of play. A collision led to Black Universe getting a freekick after 68 minutes play. Alexander Weeks hit a great ball. Nicky Bensley took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Kris Cornforth, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After a defensive mix-up in Black Universe's zone, Huey Dawson stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Derek Atkinson came out of the goal and Huey Dawson tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Nicky Bensley showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Kris Cornforth, who was totally free with the ball in the 75th minute. Jonathan Smikle's late challenge caught a Black Universe's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Jonathan Smikle helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Carlin How Unite's Jonathan Smikle got a free kick in the 76th minute. When Robert Atkinson fell near the penalty area in the 77th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Carlin How Unite's protests and gave Robert Atkinson a yellow card for diving instead. Robert Atkinson hit a great freekick 78 minutes into the match. An unexpectedly hard shot by Kris Cornforth in the 81st minute of play forced Carlin How Unite's goalkeeper Nicky Bensley to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 86th minute, Ashley Coulthard hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Ashley Coulthard blasted a shot towards the goal in the 91st minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Derek Atkinson having to make a save. Julian Coates's late challenge caught a Black Universe's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Julian Coates helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Carlin How Unite getting a freekick after 94 minutes play. Julian Coates hit a great ball. The Black Universe manager could be seen shouting at his players as they walked down the tunnel after the match. He was clearly angry that they had squandered their superior possession, allowing Carlin How Unite to win.