League

Cleveleys
Spectators: 6729 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1729, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Leroy Eagles took the kick off in the first half of the match. After a defensive mix-up in Byfleet Rangers's zone, Dave Cousens stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Ken Messenger came out of the goal and Dave Cousens tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. FC Tulips's Tristan Oliver played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Ruben Haines in the 6th minute of play. After 7 minutes of play, Byfleet Rangers's Leroy Eagles made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Tristan Oliver was left in no man's land by his defense there! 12 minutes into the game, Tosh Warner cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-1. Ken Messenger was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Austin Cox fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 16th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ken Messenger having to interfere. After some fancy dribbling in the 20th minute, Dave Cousens managed to get in a good position for a shot. FC Tulips's supporters rose to their feet, but Dave Cousens was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Ken Messenger breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. The supporters of FC Tulips booed when Byfleet Rangers was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 21 match minutes in a wonderful position. Jon Backhouse didn't get a good kick on the ball. 22 minutes in the game, Tosh Warner fired away an excellent shot, which passed to the side of the right post without Ken Messenger having to interfere. In the 23rd minute, Dave Cousens 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. Dave Cousens fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 26th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ken Messenger having to interfere. The audience thought a goal was coming when Tosh Warner got free with Ken Messenger in the 30th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Dave Cousens struck a weak shot in the 32nd minute. Ken Messenger didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for FC Tulips. Ruben Haines sent away a hard shot on goal in the 35th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Tosh Warner struck a weak shot in the 38th minute. Ken Messenger didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for FC Tulips. 43 minutes into the match, Byfleet Rangers's goal looked a bit too open when Verne Swain came free, but Ken Messenger reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Ken Messenger made a fantastic save in the 44th minute, when Tosh Warner sent off a good shot on target. With a little luck, Byfleet Rangers's Ken Messenger got control of the ball when Tosh Warner tried to sneak it across the goal line. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Cliff Homes during the 47th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Cliff Homes hit a great freekick 47 minutes into the match. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Dave Cousens to strike the kick off in the second half. Dave Cousens fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 52nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ken Messenger having to interfere. Ken Messenger stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Tosh Warner's shot from short distance in the 54th minute. Tosh Warner's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Ken Messenger read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 59th minute of play. In the 61st minute of the match FC Tulips got a corner. Byfleet Rangers's goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Les Holland ran over to the corner to take the kick. At last the ball reached Doug McGrath at the corner, ending with a kick to difficult to stop for the goalkeeper of Byfleet Rangers. 2-1. If Dave Cousens had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 68th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. FC Tulips's Tristan Oliver proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 75th minute of the match, managed to save FC Tulips from getting a goal against them. Ken Messenger didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Dave Cousens went, in the 77th minute, to the upper right corner, 3-1 was the resulting score. Leroy Eagles fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 82nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Tristan Oliver having to interfere. Leroy Eagles sent away a hard shot on goal in the 84th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 85 played minutes FC Tulips got a freekick which was hit by Austin Cox. Tristan Oliver made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Leroy Eagles in the 91st minute of play. Verne Swain kicked well hit freekick during the 91st minute of the match. Byfleet Rangers's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Phil Butterfield in the 95th minute. Tony Webster made a great header on Byfleet Rangers's corner, it was just that FC Tulips's Tristan Oliver managed to reach the ball for a save. Tosh Warner fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 97th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Ken Messenger having to interfere. 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. FC Tulips fully deserved thier win.