League

Formby Stadium
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. Steven Hackney started the match with the kick off. After having played for 3 minutes, Martyn Symons managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Formby's supporters crossed their fingers, but Martyn Symons was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by Marlon Lynch in the 5th minute of play forced Reach's goalkeeper Russell Thomson to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 8 minutes, Rowan Meadowcroft mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Formby and the Reach players grew even worse after the yellow card. After 8 played minutes Formby got a freekick which was hit by Rowan Meadowcroft. A collision led to Formby getting a freekick after 9 minutes play. Jeff Harris hit a great ball. After a defensive mix-up in Formby's zone, Steven Hackney stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Keith Gold came out of the goal and Steven Hackney tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Martyn Symons could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 12th minute of the match, but Russell Thomson made a huge save. Marlon Lynch recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 14th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. After 15 played minutes Reach got a freekick which was hit by Philip Nicholls. In the 17th minute Marlon Lynch shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Russell Thomson saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Marlon Lynch might have been able to make a better finish in the 21st minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Russell Thomson. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Marlon Lynch ran back to his position shaking his head. After 21 played minutes Reach got a freekick which was hit by Crispin Bator. 23 minutes into the match, Reach's goal looked a bit too open when Marlon Lynch came free, but Russell Thomson reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Vern Brown received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 25th minute. Keith Gold tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Marlon Lynch sent away a hard shot on goal in the 27th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Crispin Bator hit a great freekick 28 minutes into the match. Russell Thomson made an important save on a dangerous shot by Martyn Symons in the 30th minute. After a rather tough play, Formby's Freddie Bloom got a free kick in the 33rd minute. Freddie Todd took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 33rd minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Keith Gold. Formby's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. After a defensive mix-up in Reach's zone, Marlon Lynch stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Russell Thomson came out of the goal and Marlon Lynch tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After a defensive mix-up in Reach's zone, Rowan Meadowcroft stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Russell Thomson came out of the goal and Rowan Meadowcroft tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Martyn Symons did some fancy footwork in front of goal and succeeded to deceive the defenders so he could slam the ball in 1-0 to the left of a surprised Russell Thomson 39 minutes into the match. Philip Nicholls hit a great freekick 43 minutes into the match. Russell Thomson was a little too slow when Martyn Symons got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 44th minute. The score was now 2-0. If Marlon Lynch had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 47th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead.

Marlon Lynch's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Russell Thomson read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 55th minute of play. Russell Thomson showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Marlon Lynch in the 57th minute of the match. In the 61st minute Marlon Lynch shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Russell Thomson saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Marlon Lynch struck a weak shot in the 66th minute. Russell Thomson didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Formby. Russell Thomson showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Marlon Lynch in the 68th minute of the match. Marlon Lynch sent away a hard shot on goal in the 69th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Formby's Marlon Lynch got a good chance for a goal in the 72nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Rowan Meadowcroft in the 74th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Russell Thomson prevented the ball from getting in the gole. Russell Thomson made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Marlon Lynch in the 77th minute of play. Philip Nicholls 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. Vern Brown fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 88th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Keith Gold having to interfere. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Steven Hackney in the 90th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Keith Gold prevented the ball from getting in the gole. The audience was convinced that Martyn Symons's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Russell Thomson was relentless in the 92nd minute of the game. In the 94th minute Martyn Symons shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Russell Thomson saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Russell Thomson came out of the goal in the 96th minute to try and stop a shot by Formby's Martyn Symons. But to his dismay, Martyn Symons quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 4-0.