League

Battle Park
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. Rufus Clarkson started the match with the kick off. Ivan Le Tissier took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Rufus Clarkson, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Ivan Le Tissier showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Eric Matthews in the 6th minute of the match. Tyler Renwick's late challenge caught a Battle AFC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Tyler Renwick helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Swanmore's Tyler Renwick got a free kick in the 10th minute. Jez Wallbank sent away a hard shot on goal in the 12th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. When Marty West came up free with the goalie in the 14th minute, the Battle AFC 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 Marty West couldn't finish the play. In the 16thth minute of the game Marty West who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Swanmore's Tyrone Bramble was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. In the 23rd minute, Mike Ackland left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Swanmore fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-1. The supporters of Battle AFC booed when Swanmore was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 27 match minutes in a wonderful position. Mike Ackland didn't get a good kick on the ball. An unexpected shot in the 28th minute by Marty West got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. Rufus Clarkson fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 30th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ivan Le Tissier having to interfere. Rufus Clarkson sent away a hard shot on goal in the 32nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Benjamin Barrett charged in rather forcefully in the 37th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Benjamin Barrett the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Tyrone Bramble had in the 38thth minute some difficulties stopping Howard Scott's well aimed penalty as it nearly passed him on his left side, but he still managed to hold the ball. Tyrone Bramble came out of the goal in the 38th minute to try and stop a shot by Battle AFC's Howard Scott. But to his dismay, Howard Scott quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 1-1. Ivan Le Tissier showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Rufus Clarkson, who was totally free with the ball in the 42nd minute. After a defensive mix-up in Battle AFC's zone, Eric Matthews stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Ivan Le Tissier came out of the goal and Eric Matthews tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. If Rufus Clarkson had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 45th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Phil Henderson was astounded when the referee showed him the red card after a seemingly innocent challenge, 48 minutes into the match. The referee gave Swanmore a penalty, 50 minutes into the game. The penalty shot was made by Benjamin Barrett, who made a well placed shot into the net to the right of Battle AFC's Ivan Le Tissier. 1-2.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Jez Wallbank to make the kick off. If Jez Wallbank had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 57th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Rufus Clarkson recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 59th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. 63 minutes into the match, Swanmore's Eric Matthews sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Ivan Le Tissier narrowly saved just below the crossbar. When Swanmore's Rufus Clarkson in the 65th minute got a chance for a shot 65th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Battle AFC's goalie prevented a goal. Dominic Parsons received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 67th minute. Tyrone Bramble tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Eric Matthews received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 73rd minute. Ivan Le Tissier tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Swanmore's Tyrone Bramble played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Jez Wallbank in the 77th minute of play. Danny Lynam kicked well hit freekick during the 78th minute of the match. The crowd rose to their feet as Eric Matthews kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Ivan Le Tissier. That made the score 1-3 in the 79 minute of play. Ruben Moore hit a great freekick 83 minutes into the match. Battle AFC's Ivan Le Tissier played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Rufus Clarkson in the 88th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Jez Wallbank in the 91st minute of play forced Swanmore's goalkeeper Tyrone Bramble to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Ivan Le Tissier made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Rufus Clarkson in the 94th minute of play. When the match was over Swanmore could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Battle AFC throughout the match.