League

Smithville
Spectators: 6734 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1734, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Garrett Giguère kicked off to start the match. In the 5th minute Blair Goodwin shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Lavern Rutherford saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Garrett Giguère had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 7th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Smithville's Garrett Giguère got a good chance for a goal in the 10th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. 11 minutes into the match, Smithville's Garrett Giguère sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Minh Bledsoe narrowly saved just below the crossbar. Derek Lincoln fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 18th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Minh Bledsoe having to interfere. After 20 minutes, Roland Davies mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Smithville and the Dover players grew even worse after the yellow card. A collision led to Smithville getting a freekick after 20 minutes play. Roland Davies hit a great ball. In the 24th minute Garrett Giguère shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Minh Bledsoe saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Garrett Giguère's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Minh Bledsoe read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 29th minute of play. When Smithville's Garrett Giguère in the 38th minute got a chance for a shot 38th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Dover's goalie prevented a goal. Garrett Giguère 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. 43 minutes into the match, Smithville's goal looked a bit too open when Blair Goodwin came free, but Lavern Rutherford reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. If Blair Goodwin had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 45th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 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.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Blair Goodwin to strike the kick off in the second half. When Derek Lincoln came up free with the goalie in the 51st minute, the Smithville 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 Derek Lincoln couldn't finish the play. Minh Bledsoe took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Garrett Giguère, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Minh Bledsoe showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Derek Lincoln in the 57th minute of the match. 59 minutes into the match, Dover's goal looked a bit too open when Garrett Giguère came free, but Minh Bledsoe reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Derek Lincoln sent away a hard shot on goal in the 61st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. A collision led to Dover getting a freekick after 62 minutes play. Timothy Abraham hit a great ball. The audience was convinced that Garrett Giguère's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Minh Bledsoe was relentless in the 63rd minute of the game. Minh Bledsoe made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Derek Lincoln in the 64th minute of play. When Arden Rousseau fell near the penalty area in the 72nd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Smithville's protests and gave Arden Rousseau a yellow card for diving instead. In the 72nd match minute, Smithville was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Arden Rousseau to maneuver through the defense. 75 minutes in the game, the ball went up into the seats when Dover's Blair Goodwin fired away a shot that was just a little bit too high. He walked away shaking his head. An unexpectedly hard shot by Derek Lincoln in the 77th minute of play forced Dover's goalkeeper Minh Bledsoe to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. If Derek Lincoln had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 83rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Minh Bledsoe showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Roland Davies, who was totally free with the ball in the 88th minute. The final whistle blew with the score still tied, and both teams left the pitch thinking about the missed chances that could have given their team the win.