League

Charter Oak
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Geoff Ladner made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Paul Graves in the 3rd minute of play. If Bret Stephenson had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 4th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 6th minute, Art Karros reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Geoff Ladner. The goal made the score 1-0. 9 minutes into the match, Charter Oak FC's Art Karros sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Geoff Ladner narrowly saved just below the crossbar. In the 12th minute, Art Karros fired away a shot on goal. He put a little to much spin on the ball and sent it just wide of the right post. After 14 played minutes Art Karros rounded Hartford City AFC's defense and shot a beautiful shot into goal via left pole - 2-0. In the 19th minute, Charter Oak FC's Art Karros ran free of his marker and smoothly shot the ball into the goal behind Geoff Ladner. Geoff Ladner yelled at his defense, as they had left him out to dry. 3-0. Geoff Ladner was a little too slow when Art Karros got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 25th minute. The score was now 4-0. In the 28th play minute Bret Stephenson came free and shot an unsuspected shot which went into goal from the right pole behind a surprised Geoff Ladner. 5-0. Paul Graves recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 41st minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. In the 44th minute Art Karros shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Geoff Ladner saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Geoff Ladner stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Art Karros's shot from short distance in the 46th minute. Charter Oak FC's Quentin Woodall pulled a muscle in his leg after 48 minutes and couldn't finish the game. 48 minutes into the game, Vern Salinas was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Hartford City AFC's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Charter Oak FC the free kick. After 49 played minutes Hartford City AFC got a freekick which was hit by Vern Salinas. Thanks to some nice moves Bret Stephenson could shoot a difficult shot in the 50th minute, which Geoff Ladner however easily saved by the left post. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 6-0 at half-time.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Bret Stephenson to make the kick off. In the 55th minute Bret Stephenson shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Geoff Ladner saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 57th minute, Bret Stephenson 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. The audience was convinced that Bret Stephenson's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Geoff Ladner was relentless in the 59th minute of the game. Bret Stephenson scored 7-0 in the 60th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Geoff Ladner, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. Geoff Ladner stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Bret Stephenson's shot from short distance in the 70th minute. Paul Graves fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 71st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Geoff Ladner having to interfere. Hartford City AFC's Geoff Ladner played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Bret Stephenson in the 74th minute of play. If Paul Graves had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 81st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Tim Whitley received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 84th minute. Carson Herbert tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Carson Herbert made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Vern Salinas in the 86th minute of play. Bret Stephenson sent away a hard shot on goal in the 93rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After a defensive mix-up in Hartford City AFC's zone, Paul Graves stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Geoff Ladner came out of the goal and Paul Graves tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Geoff Ladner took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Bret Stephenson, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. It was no surprise that this one had ended in a win for the home team. Charter Oak FC had played much better football throughout.