League Play-Off

Uttoxeter Stadium
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Garry Thackray got the match started through his kick off. Birmingham Selly Oak's Vern Devine played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Garry Thackray in the 4th minute of play. 5 minutes into the match, Birmingham Selly Oak's goalkeeper Vern Devine had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by John Paul Bridgeworth. John Paul Bridgeworth recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 8th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. After some fancy dribbling in the 11th minute, Ronan Barron managed to get in a good position for a shot. Uttoxeter's supporters rose to their feet, but Ronan Barron was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Vern Devine breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Christian Dodd showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Louis Neville in the 22nd minute of the match. A collision led to Uttoxeter getting a freekick after 27 minutes play. Ronan Barron hit a great ball. Shane Harding received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 36th minute. Christian Dodd tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. 39 minutes in the game, John Paul Bridgeworth fired away an excellent shot, which passed to the side of the right post without Vern Devine having to interfere. The audience thought a goal was coming when John Paul Bridgeworth got free with Vern Devine in the 43rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Garry Thackray 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.

The players of the away team seemed most concentrated when Louis Neville stepped up to make the kick off in the second half. In the 57th minute the ball was on its way in behind Birmingham Selly Oak's goalkeeper Vern Devine, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. With 60 minutes on the clock, Sebastian Lundy commited a dangerous tackle. The referee had no choice but to show him the red card. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 60th minute of the game. One of Birmingham Selly Oak:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Uttoxeter:s goal. Tristan Sawbridge placed the ball on the penalty spot and got himself ready to shoot. Post out! In the 66th match minute, Birmingham Selly Oak was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Shane Harding to maneuver through the defense. After recieving a nice pass, Uttoxeter's Tristan Sawbridge tried to score from far away in the 66th minute, but the ball went over the crossbar. Garry Thackray sent away a hard shot on goal in the 68th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. After a defensive mix-up in Birmingham Selly Oak's zone, John Paul Bridgeworth stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Vern Devine came out of the goal and John Paul Bridgeworth tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 78th minute Garry Thackray shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Vern Devine saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Garry Thackray in the 87th minute of play forced Birmingham Selly Oak's goalkeeper Vern Devine to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. When Henry Croxford came up free with the goalie in the 90th minute, the Birmingham Selly Oak fans jumped to their feet. But the shot missed the goal by a fraction of an inch, and the fans sat back down disappointed that Henry Croxford couldn't finish the play. Garry Thackray sent away a hard shot on goal in the 95th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. An unexpectedly hard shot by John Paul Bridgeworth in the 99th minute of play forced Birmingham Selly Oak's goalkeeper Vern Devine to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Neither set of supporters seemed pleased with the draw, but both teams had played equally well today.