League

Ripley Stadium
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Theron Nichols took the kick off in the first half of the match. After 2 played minutes Cumberland Hill AFC got a freekick which was hit by Nicholas Tipton. Theron Nichols received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 7th minute. Kevin Esposito tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Nicholas Tipton had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 13th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. The supporters of Cumberland Hill AFC booed when Ripley was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 14 match minutes in a wonderful position. Scott Herron didn't get a good kick on the ball. After a defensive mix-up in Cumberland Hill AFC's zone, Zachariah Dutton stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. German Samuels came out of the goal and Zachariah Dutton tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. When Kurtis Fenton came up free with the goalie in the 20th minute, the Ripley 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 Kurtis Fenton couldn't finish the play. After some fancy dribbling in the 23rd minute, Nicholas Tipton managed to get in a good position for a shot. Cumberland Hill AFC's supporters rose to their feet, but Nicholas Tipton was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Kevin Esposito breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. After 24 minutes of play, Cumberland Hill AFC's Nicholas Tipton made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Kevin Esposito was left in no man's land by his defense there! Kevin Esposito took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Nicholas Tipton, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. An unexpectedly hard shot by Zachariah Dutton in the 36th minute of play forced Cumberland Hill AFC's goalkeeper German Samuels to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 39th minute, one of Cumberland Hill AFC:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Cumberland Hill AFC. In the 45th minute the ball was on its way in behind Cumberland Hill AFC's goalkeeper German Samuels, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Salvatore Chan during the 46th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to Ripley getting a freekick after 46 minutes play. Salvatore Chan hit a great ball. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Zachariah Dutton made a kick off. Zachariah Dutton sent away a hard shot on goal in the 53rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Ernesto Ragsdale recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 55th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Zachariah Dutton fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 57th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without German Samuels having to interfere. After having played for 58 minutes, Salvatore Chan managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Ripley's supporters crossed their fingers, but Salvatore Chan 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 Zachariah Dutton in the 64th minute of play forced Cumberland Hill AFC's goalkeeper German Samuels to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 69 minutes into the match, Cumberland Hill AFC's goal looked a bit too open when Kurtis Fenton came free, but German Samuels reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Theron Nichols's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Kevin Esposito read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 74th minute of play. In the 75th match minute, Ripley was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Salvatore Chan to maneuver through the defense. Zachariah Dutton received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 80th minute. German Samuels tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The audience was convinced that Theron Nichols's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Kevin Esposito was relentless in the 82nd minute of the game. Zachariah Dutton blasted a shot towards the goal in the 90th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without German Samuels having to make a save. Waldo Schaffer kicked well hit freekick during the 91st minute of the match. In the 93rd minute Zachariah Dutton shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but German Samuels saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Ripley's Kevin Esposito proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 96th minute of the match, managed to save Ripley from getting a goal against them.