League Play-Off

Gainsborough Stadium
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Brendon Marsden took the kick off in the first half of the match. 3 minutes into the game, Kidsgrove's Tommy Barfield nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Andre Pope made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 0-1. Andre Pope showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Tommy Barfield in the 8th minute of the match. Ivan Delaney might have been able to make a better finish in the 10th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Andre Pope. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Ivan Delaney ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 15th minute of the match Adam Pickering shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Andre Pope showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. In the 20th minute of the match Benji Hunter shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Andre Pope showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. When VALENE FC's Brendon Marsden in the 21st minute got a chance for a shot 21st didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Kidsgrove's goalie prevented a goal. Sidney Benbow charged in rather forcefully in the 23rd minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Sidney Benbow the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. Andre Pope showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Ivan Delaney in the 32nd minute of the match. Tommy Barfield 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.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Ivan Delaney to make the kick off. After 51 minutes of play, VALENE FC's Curtis Campbell made it 1-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Eddie Beck was left in no man's land by his defense there! After a rather tough play, Kidsgrove's Ivan Delaney got a free kick in the 55th minute. Eddie Beck took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Brendon Marsden, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Curtis Campbell might have been able to make a better finish in the 61st minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Eddie Beck. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Curtis Campbell ran back to his position shaking his head. Eddie Beck made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Brendon Marsden in the 63rd minute of play. Ivan Delaney received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 65th minute. Andre Pope tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Tommy Barfield sent away a hard shot on goal in the 67th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. When Ivan Delaney came up free with the goalie in the 69th minute, the Kidsgrove 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 Ivan Delaney couldn't finish the play. Tommy Barfield blasted a shot towards the goal in the 72nd minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Andre Pope having to make a save. In the 75th minute Ivan Delaney shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Andre Pope saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. If Brendon Marsden had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 78th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Curtis Campbell might have been able to make a better finish in the 80th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Eddie Beck. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Curtis Campbell ran back to his position shaking his head. Tommy Barfield fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 82nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Andre Pope having to interfere. Through an outstanding action, after 84 minutes, Andre Pope successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. In the 93rd match minute, Kidsgrove was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Sidney Benbow to maneuver through the defense. It was beautiful to see VALENE FC's Jude Whalley in action when he in the 95th minute dribbled his way through a couple of opponents and the fired away a shot from almost standing still. First the ball seemed to get in, but turned out to be on the outside of the net. A great chance! The Kidsgrove players were the happier at the end of the match as they had prevented VALENE FC from taking control. The game ends in a draw.