League Play-Off

Stowmarket
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Birches Head Potters's Cody Duckworth 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. After 6 played minutes, Birches Head Potters's Piers Llewellyn shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Dane Purkiss came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Birches Head Potters reached it. Dane Purkiss showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Cody Duckworth, who was totally free with the ball in the 7th minute. Harvey Nobles short, quick shot in the 10thth minute got Nathan Locke to make great effort and bar the ball away from getting in. Harvey Noble who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 13thth minute tested the skills of Nathan Locke when he managed to save the team from getting behind. 14 minutes into the game, one of Birches Head Potters:s players got tackled near the goal, and the referee blew for a penalty. If Harvey Noble had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 20th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Tommy Dunn in the 24th minute of play forced Birches Head Potters's goalkeeper Nathan Locke to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Harvey Noble sent away a hard shot on goal in the 31st minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. In the 39thth minute of the game Tommy Dunn who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Birches Head Potters's Nathan Locke was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Cody Duckworth in the 42nd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Dane Purkiss saved Stowmarket from getting behind. If Tommy Dunn had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 46th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Af the end of the first half the score was 1-0. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Tommy Dunn made a kick off. Tommy Dunn struck a weak shot in the 51st minute. Nathan Locke didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Stowmarket. Harvey Noble received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 56th minute. Nathan Locke tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After a defensive mix-up in Birches Head Potters's zone, Tommy Dunn stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Nathan Locke came out of the goal and Tommy Dunn tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Dane Purkiss made a fantastic save in the 61st minute, when Zack Whitehead sent off a good shot on target. If Harvey Noble had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 66th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Zack Whitehead made a well adjusted shot against goal in the 70thth minute coming free in front of the goal, but Dane Purkiss would not let the ball come through at any expense and made a nice save by the left post. Harvey Noble received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 73rd minute. Nathan Locke tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Harvey Noble received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 78th minute. Nathan Locke tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Nathan Locke showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Tommy Dunn in the 83rd minute of the match. In the 91st minute Cody Duckworth shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Dane Purkiss saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line.