League Play-Off

Steeple Claydon Park
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Houghton le Spring City's Abdelnasser Hamyane started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. Abdelnasser Hamyane struck a weak shot in the 5th minute. Nadjib Hanin didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Houghton le Spring City. After 6 minutes, Wahid El Karimi mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Steeple Claydon and the Houghton le Spring City players grew even worse after the yellow card. A collision led to Steeple Claydon getting a freekick after 6 minutes play. Wahid El Karimi hit a great ball. If Abdelnasser Hamyane had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 16th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 17 minutes into the game, Amine Kouidri was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Steeple Claydon's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Houghton le Spring City the free kick. A collision led to Steeple Claydon getting a freekick after 17 minutes play. Amine Kouidri hit a great ball. Giss Ammouri could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 22nd minute of the match, but Fawzi Ben Khalidi made a huge save. If Farid Benguergoura had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 23rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. A collision led to Steeple Claydon getting a freekick after 31 minutes play. Chahine Boukensa hit a great ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Menad Bey in the 32nd minute of play forced Steeple Claydon's goalkeeper Nadjib Hanin to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 38th minute, Menad Bey 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. Abdelnasser Hamyane received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 40th minute. Nadjib Hanin tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. A nice corner shot did that Mounaim El Moubarek got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Nadjib Hanin quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Farid Benguergoura to make the kick off. Fawzi Ben Khalidi didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Farid Benguergoura went, in the 51st minute, to the upper right corner, 2-0 was the resulting score. Nadjib Hanin made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Abdelnasser Hamyane in the 55th minute of play. 56 minutes into the match, Steeple Claydon's goal looked a bit too open when Abdelnasser Hamyane came free, but Nadjib Hanin reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Naoufel Fergani's late challenge caught a Steeple Claydon's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Naoufel Fergani helped the player get up and apologised. Naoufel Fergani hit a great freekick 59 minutes into the match. Farid Benguergoura received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 61st minute. Fawzi Ben Khalidi tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After some fancy dribbling in the 64th minute, Abdelnasser Hamyane managed to get in a good position for a shot. Houghton le Spring City's supporters rose to their feet, but Abdelnasser Hamyane was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Nadjib Hanin breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. The audience was convinced that Abdelnasser Hamyane's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Nadjib Hanin was relentless in the 67th minute of the game. Nadjib Hanin was out of position in the 69 minute of play, and Menad Bey capitalized on the mistake with a soft shot into the goal. Menad Bey really showed his touch with that goal: 2-1. The supporters of Steeple Claydon booed when Houghton le Spring City was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 72 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ilian Sabati didn't get a good kick on the ball. If Abdelnasser Hamyane had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 75th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Fawzi Ben Khalidi made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Farid Benguergoura in the 83rd minute of play. In the 83rd minute, Kacem Touhami hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Nadjib Hanin made an important save on a dangerous shot by Menad Bey in the 86th minute. Steeple Claydon were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Houghton le Spring City for a fine match.