U23 League

Opel National Arena
Spectators: 161 (Terracing: 121, Seating: 37, VIP seats: 3) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Billy Booth started the match with the kick off. After a defensive mix-up in Lisburn Distillery F.C.'s zone, Sam Bates stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Brian Lambert came out of the goal and Sam Bates tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. After some careless play in the Lisburn Distillery F.C. defense, Sam Bates kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Brian Lambert. The Lisburn Distillery F.C. fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Brian Lambert should have stopped the shot. 19 minutes into the game, Clive Workman recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Pat Zamora. Clive Workman showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-2. Erling Haaland received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 22nd minute. Brian Lambert tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Brian Lambert stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Sam Bates's shot from short distance in the 25th minute. The Memphis Grizzlies fans' excitement grew in the 27th match minute when Memphis Grizzlies's Sam Bates looked to have a clear shot with the ball near the goal. The shot wasn't hard, but the ball still rolled over the goal line to make it 1-3 before the goalkeeper had a chance to intervene. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Sam Bates in the 30th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Brian Lambert prevented the ball from getting in the gole. When the match clock showed 30 minutes, the score became 1-4 when Sam Bates sped through Lisburn Distillery F.C.'s defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Brian Lambert. Billy Booth had several of the Memphis Grizzlies's defenders around him in the penalty area when he, after 33 minutes of play, received a pass and succeeded in some way to shoot a shot which went straight ahead into goal. This resulted in a 2-4 score and a disappointed Pat Zamora as he didn't even see the shot coming. In the 38th minute Erling Haaland shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Brian Lambert saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. In the 42nd minute Erling Haaland shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Brian Lambert saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Damien Carr's late challenge caught a Memphis Grizzlies's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Damien Carr helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Lisburn Distillery F.C.'s Damien Carr got a free kick in the 44th minute. The supporters of Memphis Grizzlies booed when Lisburn Distillery F.C. was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 47 match minutes in a wonderful position. Andrew Brookman didn't get a good kick on the ball. Disappointed in the 2-4 score, the home team went to the dressing room to adjust tactics for the second half.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Sam Bates to make the kick off. In the 56th minute of the match Memphis Grizzlies got a corner. Lisburn Distillery F.C.'s goalie ran out to the linesman to protest the call, but the linesman resolutely pointed his flag at the cornerflag. Richie Ashton ran over to the corner to take the kick. Memphis Grizzlies's Rob Gillespie was first on the ball when the corner was shot and he dangerously headed the ball towards goal, but Brian Lambert in the goal jumped up to prevent it from getting in. Elói Alagoano fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 58th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Pat Zamora having to interfere. If Sam Bates had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 60th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Lisburn Distillery F.C.'s Brian Lambert played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Sam Bates in the 60th minute of play. Memphis Grizzlies made a substitution. Arash Eagle replaced Sam Bates. Memphis Grizzlies's Danny Clegg was substituted for Erling Haaland. Memphis Grizzlies's Brian Kay was substituted for Samuil Saldzhiev. When the match had gone on for 67 minutes, Clive Workman put it in 3-4 from a short distance just to the right of Pat Zamora. 83 minutes into the match, Memphis Grizzlies's goal looked a bit too open when Billy Booth came free, but Pat Zamora reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Danny Clegg in the 86th minute of play forced Lisburn Distillery F.C.'s goalkeeper Brian Lambert to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Brian Lambert stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Arash Eagle's shot from short distance in the 91st minute. The Lisburn Distillery F.C. fans had already started to leave before the final whistle blew. Memphis Grizzlies were clearly better and deserved to take the win.