League

Thurlaston
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Kristopher Darko took the kick off in the first half of the match. Ronny Platt received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 6th minute. Carl Jobling tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 15th minute Ronny Platt shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Carl Jobling saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Kristopher Darko had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 17th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Carl Jobling made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Tyrone Beverley in the 21st minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 23rd minute, Tyrone Beverley managed to get in a good position for a shot. Stroud United's supporters rose to their feet, but Tyrone Beverley was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Carl Jobling breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Kristopher Darko blasted a shot towards the goal in the 27th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Jimmy Little having to make a save. A collision led to Thurlaston AFC getting a freekick after 29 minutes play. Cliff Commons hit a great ball. After 30 played minutes, Stroud United's Chesney Towler shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Carl Jobling came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Stroud United reached it. Thurlaston AFC's Carl Jobling played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Ronny Platt in the 33rd minute of play. If Kristopher Darko had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 34th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Lenny Bannatyne hit a great freekick 37 minutes into the match. Jimmy Little showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Kristopher Darko in the 44th minute of the match. Jimmy Little made an important save on a dangerous shot by Kristopher Darko in the 46th minute.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Tyrone Beverley made a kick off. After having played for 53 minutes, Tyrone Beverley managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Stroud United's supporters crossed their fingers, but Tyrone Beverley was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. After 54 played minutes Thurlaston AFC got a freekick which was hit by Darius Pickard. With a little luck, Thurlaston AFC's Carl Jobling got control of the ball when Ronny Platt tried to sneak it across the goal line. In the 60th minute of the match Nicky Lydiate sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Carl Jobling skillfully saved the ball. Kristopher Darko fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 73rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jimmy Little having to interfere. The audience was convinced that Kristopher Darko's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Jimmy Little was relentless in the 75th minute of the game. If Conan Swallow had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 78th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Jimmy Little made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Conan Swallow in the 82nd minute of play. Neil Holdsworth's late challenge caught a Thurlaston AFC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Neil Holdsworth helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of Thurlaston AFC booed when Stroud United was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 87 match minutes in a wonderful position. Neil Holdsworth didn't get a good kick on the ball. After a rather tough play, Stroud United's Beinn Hilton got a free kick in the 94th minute. Stroud United's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.