League

Long Crendon
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Vern Hayes fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 8th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Niall Marenghi having to interfere. After a rather tough play, Long Crendon's Denis Gerrard got a free kick in the 9th minute. After a defensive mix-up in Long Crendon's zone, Reg Rocastle stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Warren Barltrop came out of the goal and Reg Rocastle tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Vern Ward's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 13thth minute, Niall Marenghi skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. After a rather tough play, Formby's Jake Fletcher got a free kick in the 14th minute. Vern Ward received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 20th minute. Niall Marenghi tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Niall Marenghi didn't succeed in stopping the ball in the 21st minute, which inside left pole to 1-0. 27 minutes into the match, Long Crendon's Denis Gerrard sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Niall Marenghi narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Vern Ward struck a weak shot in the 33rd minute. Niall Marenghi didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Long Crendon. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Lee Seagrave in the 34th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Warren Barltrop saved Long Crendon from getting behind. An unexpectedly hard shot by Lee Seagrave in the 39th minute of play forced Long Crendon's goalkeeper Warren Barltrop to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Long Crendon's Warren Barltrop played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Reg Rocastle in the 41st minute of play. A collision led to Formby getting a freekick after 42 minutes play. Lee Seagrave hit a great ball. Vern Hayes sent away a hard shot on goal in the 44th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. If Lee Seagrave had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 46th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 1-0 at half-time.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Lee Seagrave to strike the kick off in the second half. Long Crendon's Warren Barltrop proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 67th minute of the match, managed to save Long Crendon from getting a goal against them. Vern Ward kicked well hit freekick during the 71st minute of the match. After 72 minutes, Doug Midgley mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Long Crendon and the Formby players grew even worse after the yellow card. Formby were awarded a corner in the 75th minute after Long Crendon's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Dale Fletcher took the corner. Reg Rocastle fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 76th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Warren Barltrop having to interfere. Reg Rocastles short, quick shot in the 81stth minute got Warren Barltrop to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. After a rather tough play, Long Crendon's Denis Gerrard got a free kick in the 82nd minute. Formby's Lee Seagrave got a good chance for a goal in the 86th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 92nd minute Vern Hayes shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Niall Marenghi saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Vern Hayes in the 93rd minute of play forced Formby's goalkeeper Niall Marenghi to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. For all the effort they put into the match, the Formby players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for Long Crendon.