League Play-Off

Mansfield Park
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Russell Morley kicked off to start the match. 6 minutes into the game, Dennis Welch cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 0-1. Russell Horseman was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. Ribena's Keanu Munday got a good chance for a goal in the 9th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 12th minute, Dennis Welch ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Russell Horseman was frozen by the shot and now it was 0-2. If Dennis Welch had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 18th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Gez Milton sent away a hard shot on goal in the 20th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Dennis Welch received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 22nd minute. Russell Horseman tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 24th minute of the match Ian Thackray shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Russell Horseman showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Keanu Munday sent away a hard shot on goal in the 26th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. The audience thought a goal was coming when Russell Hay got free with Gerry Bolton in the 34th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Dennis Welch fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Russell Horseman having to interfere. The supporters of Mansfield booed when Ribena was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 39 match minutes in a wonderful position. Mickey Kearney didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 41st minute Russell Morley shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gerry Bolton saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Gerry Bolton was in the perfect position, and the defense had done a good job marking him, but Lee Gill showcased his skills and made a perfect shot to score 1-2 in the 43 minute of play. In the 47th minute the ball was on its way in behind Ribena's goalkeeper Gerry Bolton, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Dennis Welch was the one to do the kick off. Gez Milton received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 54th minute. Russell Horseman tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Ribena's Gerry Bolton played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Russell Hay in the 57th minute of play. In the 60th match minute, Mansfield was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Byron Watts to maneuver through the defense. 61 minutes into the game, Mickey Kearney cracked a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, 1-3. Russell Horseman was not in position, and could only watch the ball fly in. After a rather tough play, Mansfield's Russell Hay got a free kick in the 66th minute. Through an outstanding action, after 68 minutes, Russell Horseman successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. Dennis Welch struck a weak shot in the 70th minute. Russell Horseman didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Ribena. Dennis Welch sent away a hard shot on goal in the 83rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. In the 86th minute Russell Morley shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Gerry Bolton saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. A hard shot by Ian Thackray from long distance, 89 minutes into the match, got Russell Horseman's attention. Through a fast twist with his body, he could stop the ball from going in on his right side. Russell Horseman made a fantastic save in the 91st minute, when Dennis Welch sent off a good shot on target. In the 96th match minute, Ribena was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Eric Younger to maneuver through the defense. When the match was over Ribena could go home with a victory in their luggage, having controlled the game far better than Mansfield throughout the match.