League Play-Off

Thurlaston
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Thurlaston AFC's Kristopher Darko 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. In the 10thth minute of the game Jonathon Trueman who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Thurlaston AFC's Carl Jobling was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. A collision led to Thurlaston AFC getting a freekick after 12 minutes play. Lenny Bannatyne hit a great ball. 13 minutes in the game, the ball went up into the seats when Ashton-in-Makerfield FC's Jonathon Trueman fired away a shot that was just a little bit too high. He walked away shaking his head. Jonathon Trueman blasted a shot towards the goal in the 17th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Carl Jobling having to make a save. Kristopher Darko sent away a hard shot on goal in the 21st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Christopher Cheetham might have been able to make a better finish in the 24th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Carl Jobling. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Christopher Cheetham ran back to his position shaking his head. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Jonathon Trueman in the 26th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Carl Jobling saved Thurlaston AFC from getting behind. Jonathon Trueman sent away a hard shot on goal in the 27th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 30 minutes into the match, Kristopher Darko had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Simeon Chalk. Ashton-in-Makerfield FC's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Kristopher Darko was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 1-1. Conan Swallow who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 40thth minute tested the skills of Simeon Chalk when he managed to save the team from getting behind. The long shot by Seb Crowther in the 42nd minute really tested Simeon Chalk's skills. The ball was on its way into the goal to the left of him when he managed to stretch himself and save the shot and avoid a goal. In the 44th minute of the match Seb Crowther shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Simeon Chalk showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Jonathon Trueman sent away a hard shot on goal in the 46th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

The wind increased when Jonathon Trueman made the kick off in the second half. Simeon Chalk made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Conan Swallow in the 56th minute of play. In the 60th minute Jonathon Trueman shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Carl Jobling saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Conan Swallow sent away a hard shot on goal in the 67th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After 73 played minutes Thurlaston AFC got a freekick which was hit by Lenny Bannatyne. Simeon Chalk didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Kristopher Darko went, in the 76th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-1 was the resulting score. Jonathon Trueman sent away a hard shot on goal in the 81st minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. 83 minutes into the match, Thurlaston AFC's Conan Swallow sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Simeon Chalk narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After 84 played minutes Ashton-in-Makerfield FC got a freekick which was hit by Sean Garner-Currie. In the 88th minute, Christopher Cheetham hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. When Kristopher Darko fell near the penalty area in the 91st minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Thurlaston AFC's protests and gave Kristopher Darko a yellow card for diving instead. The supporters of Ashton-in-Makerfield FC booed when Thurlaston AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 91 match minutes in a wonderful position. Kristopher Darko didn't get a good kick on the ball. After having played for 96 minutes, Kristopher Darko managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Thurlaston AFC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Kristopher Darko was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal.