League

Paradise Stadium
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when C.J. Velez made the kick off which started today's match. When Cory Suggs came up free with the goalie in the 4th minute, the Paradise 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 Cory Suggs couldn't finish the play. If Mark Cherry had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 5th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. After having played for 8 minutes, Austin Pierce managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Paradise's supporters crossed their fingers, but Austin Pierce was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Mark Cherry sent away a hard shot on goal in the 12th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 16th minute, Cory Suggs 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. When the match had gone on for 19 minutes, Mark Cherry took a quick shot and it went in 1-0 without a chance for Gordon Underwood to make any attempt to save it. Bobby> Varner lost his temper 22 minutes into the game and shoved another player to the ground. He was immediately shown a red card. In a very dangerous position, a player in Paradise fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 22nd minute. Penalty! 27 minutes into the match, Ferdinand Stubbs had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Merlin Sheffield. Paradise's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Ferdinand Stubbs was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-2. Mark Cherry struck a weak shot in the 36th minute. Gordon Underwood didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Paradise. After a defensive mix-up in Eldersburg AFC's zone, Mark Cherry stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Gordon Underwood came out of the goal and Mark Cherry tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 42nd minute C.J. Velez shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Merlin Sheffield saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Mark Cherry received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 45th minute. Gordon Underwood tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Disappointed in the 1-2 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Mark Cherry made a kick off. Cory Suggs received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 54th minute. Gordon Underwood tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Paradise's Merlin Sheffield played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Ernest Rutledge in the 57th minute of play. Gordon Underwood showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Cory Suggs in the 62nd minute of the match. Ernest Rutledge received a nice pass, split the defenders, and ran untouched towards the goal. Merlin Sheffield came out and tried to block the shot, but Ernest Rutledge slotted it home off the left post making it 1-3 in the 66th minute. Mark Cherry received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 73rd minute. Gordon Underwood tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Paradise's Tory Coker got a good chance for a goal in the 75th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Paradise's Cody Skaggs managed, thanks to a brazen rush, stole the ball on a throw-in made by Jesse Pollock in the 78 minute of the game. In the 80th match minute, Paradise was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Nicholas Clemons to maneuver through the defense. Eldersburg AFC's Edward Siegel couldn't find anyone to pass the ball to, so he shot a long shot towards the goal in the 86th minute. The shot went wide which resulted in a goal kick for Paradise. Paradise's Cody Skaggs managed, thanks to a brazen rush, stole the ball on a throw-in made by Jesse Pollock in the 92 minute of the game. After having played for 92 minutes, Cody Skaggs managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Paradise's supporters crossed their fingers, but Cody Skaggs was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Paradise's Merlin Sheffield proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 96th minute of the match, managed to save Paradise from getting a goal against them. When the final whistle went the supporters of Eldersburg AFC were delighted that their team had defeated the much more dominant Paradise side.