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. Marty West started the match with the kick off. The supporters of Thame booed when Battle AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 4 match minutes in a wonderful position. Nath Tyson didn't get a good kick on the ball. Jez Wallbank in the 7thth minute had a little luck and got a chance for a shot in front of the goal. Without hesitation aimed to the right of Robbie Laverick, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. An unexpectedly hard shot by Verne Wadham in the 12th minute of play forced Battle AFC's goalkeeper Ivan Le Tissier to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. If Marty West had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 14th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. If Jez Wallbank had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 16th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience thought a goal was coming when Jez Wallbank got free with Robbie Laverick in the 21st minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Marty West received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 25th minute. Robbie Laverick tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Robbie Laverick made a fantastic save in the 30th minute, when Jez Wallbank sent off a good shot on target. Robbie Laverick took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Marty West, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Jez Wallbank recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 33rd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. A collision led to Thame getting a freekick after 33 minutes play. Leigh Delamore hit a great ball. Jez Wallbank who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 35thth minute tested the skills of Robbie Laverick when he managed to save the team from getting behind. If Jez Wallbank had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 36th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Jez Wallbank received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 38th minute. Robbie Laverick tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Thame's Robbie Laverick played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Marty West in the 45th minute of play. The score stood at 0-0 when the half time whistle went. Both sets of players seemed reasonably pleased with how the match was going.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Verne Wadham made a kick off. Thame's Robbie Laverick played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Marty West in the 61st minute of play. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Jez Wallbank in the 62nd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Robbie Laverick saved Thame from getting behind. 63 minutes into the game, Stewart Gates was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Thame's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Battle AFC the free kick. After a rather tough play, Thame's Stewart Gates got a free kick in the 64th minute. Robbie Laverick showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Jez Wallbank, who was totally free with the ball in the 70th minute. Battle AFC's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Howard Scott in the 73rd minute. In the 74th minute, Thame's Phillip Kerridge seemed to kick out at an opponent. The referee saw this and, surprisingly, showed Phillip Kerridge the red card, dismissing him from the pitch. The coaching staff of Thame protested bitterly, but the referee would have none of it, and Phillip Kerridge had no choice but to slowly walk off the pitch. 74 minutes into the game, one of Thame:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. The audience was convinced that Marty West's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Robbie Laverick was relentless in the 79th minute of the game. In a very dangerous position, a player in Thame fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 80th minute. Penalty! In the 82nd minute there was a penalty for Battle AFC. Howard Scott stepped forward and shot the ball to the right of a diving Robbie Laverick. 2-0. If Julian Bowler had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After a defensive mix-up in Thame's zone, Dominic Parsons stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Robbie Laverick came out of the goal and Dominic Parsons tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Jeff Baker hit a great freekick 93 minutes into the match. After some fancy dribbling in the 94th minute, Jez Wallbank managed to get in a good position for a shot. Battle AFC's supporters rose to their feet, but Jez Wallbank was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Robbie Laverick breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. There were very few away supporters still in the ground by the end of the match. Most of them had left early, disgusted by the way their team had been torn apart. Battle AFC fully deserved thier win.