League

Canvey Island
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. Oliver Briggs started the match with the kick off. Oliver Briggs 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 Pedro Mansfield, who managed to lunge to the right direction and made a save. In the 10th minute, Sol Stockley made a precise shot to the right of Abraham Townsend. Canvey Island City's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 0-1. After a rather tough play, Maine Road FC's Vance Thornton got a free kick in the 14th minute. When Oliver Briggs came up free with the goalie in the 16th minute, the Canvey Island City 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 Oliver Briggs couldn't finish the play. Oliver Briggs received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 23rd minute. Pedro Mansfield tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 26 minutes into the match, Canvey Island City's Oliver Briggs sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Pedro Mansfield narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Vance Thornton kicked well hit freekick during the 33rd minute of the match. After a rather tough play, Canvey Island City's Rio Winship got a free kick in the 36th minute. Jude Reddington sent away a hard shot on goal in the 40th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Iain Battersby's late challenge caught a Canvey Island City's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Iain Battersby helped the player get up and apologised. After 44 played minutes Maine Road FC got a freekick which was hit by Iain Battersby. 46 minutes into the match, Maine Road FC's goalkeeper Pedro Mansfield had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Todd Aldridge. When Rio Winship came up free with the goalie in the 47th minute, the Canvey Island City 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 Rio Winship couldn't finish the play.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Sol Stockley to make the kick off. Pedro Mansfield made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Oliver Briggs in the 54th minute of play. Grant Simpson fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 55th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Pedro Mansfield having to interfere. A collision led to Canvey Island City getting a freekick after 57 minutes play. Rio Winship hit a great ball. If Jude Reddington had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 63rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 66 minutes into the match, Canvey Island City's goal looked a bit too open when Sol Stockley came free, but Abraham Townsend reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After having played for 67 minutes, Oliver Briggs managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Canvey Island City's supporters crossed their fingers, but Oliver Briggs was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. If Oliver Briggs had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 69th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 70th minute Grant Simpson shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Pedro Mansfield saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Grant Simpson's late challenge caught a Maine Road FC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Grant Simpson helped the player get up and apologised. Jude Reddington sent away a hard shot on goal in the 81st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Pedro Mansfield didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Oliver Briggs went, in the 85th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-1 was the resulting score. Sol Stockley recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 88th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Canvey Island City's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.