League Play-Off

Longridge
Spectators: 36 (Terracing: 28, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Toby Weatherhead got the match started through his kick off. In the 4th minute Toby Weatherhead shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Fred Mansell saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 7 minutes into the match, Buster White had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Damien Steele. London Army United's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Buster White was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-0. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Joe Fielden during the 9th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to Longridge getting a freekick after 9 minutes play. Joe Fielden hit a great ball. Toby Weatherhead received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 12th minute. Fred Mansell tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Damien Steele showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Joe Fielden in the 15th minute of the match. 18 minutes into the match, London Army United's goalkeeper Damien Steele had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Buster White. Longridge's Fred Mansell played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Toby Weatherhead in the 20th minute of play. With a little luck, London Army United's Damien Steele got control of the ball when Freddie Plummer tried to sneak it across the goal line. The supporters of London Army United booed when Longridge was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 24 match minutes in a wonderful position. John-Paul Meechan didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 28th minute Toby Weatherhead shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Fred Mansell saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Toby Weatherhead had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 31st minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. 34 minutes into the match, Toby Weatherhead notched a goal, 1-1, to the right of Longridge's Fred Mansell. Fred Mansell was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Tyrone Partridge's late challenge caught a London Army United's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Tyrone Partridge helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Longridge getting a freekick after 39 minutes play. Tyrone Partridge hit a great ball. The audience was convinced that Toby Weatherhead's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Fred Mansell was relentless in the 41st minute of the game. Carlton Bateson sent away a hard shot on goal in the 42nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Longridge's Fred Mansell played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Toby Weatherhead in the 44th minute of play. After 46 minutes Freddie Plummer dribbled himself free with the goalkeeper and shot a hard ball that touched the crossbar and went into the goal, 2-1. Af the end of the first half the score was 2-1. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Joe Fielden to strike the kick off in the second half. Toby Weatherhead who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 60thth minute tested the skills of Fred Mansell when he managed to save the team from getting behind. An unexpectedly hard shot by Don Bowler in the 61st minute of play forced London Army United's goalkeeper Damien Steele to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. The crowd rose to their feet as Richie Maclean kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Fred Mansell. That made the score 2-3 in the 64 minute of play. Sacha Nightingale fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 70th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Fred Mansell having to interfere. Damien Steele showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Joe Fielden, who was totally free with the ball in the 77th minute. When Carlton Bateson fell near the penalty area in the 78th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored London Army United's protests and gave Carlton Bateson a yellow card for diving instead. Carlton Bateson kicked well hit freekick during the 78th minute of the match. 80 minutes into the match, Joe Fielden notched a goal, 3-3, to the right of London Army United's Damien Steele. Damien Steele was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. Fred Mansell made an important save on a dangerous shot by Toby Weatherhead in the 87th minute. Toby Weatherhead received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 90th minute. Fred Mansell tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Toby Weatherhead could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 93rd minute of the match, but Fred Mansell made a huge save. The attack was good, but when Toby Weatherhead in the 96th minute was about to shoot he didn't kick quite good enough and the ball went high over goal. The London Army United players were the happier at the end of the match as they had prevented Longridge from taking control. The game ends in a draw.