League Play-Off

Ghencea Stadium
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) FK Steaua Bucharest's Louis Fleetham 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. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Thom Cryer during the 3rd minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. A collision led to Polperro City getting a freekick after 3 minutes play. Thom Cryer hit a great ball. In the 4th match minute, FK Steaua Bucharest was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Deon Sharples to maneuver through the defense. Andre Hughes-Guy fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 5th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Tommy Fitzsymon having to interfere. After a defensive mix-up in FK Steaua Bucharest's zone, Andre Hughes-Guy stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Tommy Fitzsymon came out of the goal and Andre Hughes-Guy tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Tommy Fitzsymon took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Andre Hughes-Guy, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Andrew Pickford received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 15th minute. Tommy Fitzsymon tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. If Andre Hughes-Guy had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 16th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Polperro City's defense didn't have a chance, in the 19th minute, when Louis Fleetham scored to the left of an out of position Jez Hassell, making the score, 1-0. In the 23rd minute, Andre Hughes-Guy made a precise shot to the right of Tommy Fitzsymon. FK Steaua Bucharest's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 1-1. 28 minutes into the match, FK Steaua Bucharest's goal looked a bit too open when Andre Hughes-Guy came free, but Tommy Fitzsymon reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. After 30 minutes of play, FK Steaua Bucharest's Ian Bonds made it 2-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Jez Hassell was left in no man's land by his defense there! In the 32nd match minute, FK Steaua Bucharest was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Liam Winstanley to maneuver through the defense. Andre Hughes-Guy recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 39th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Andrew Pickford fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 41st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Tommy Fitzsymon having to interfere. An unexpectedly hard shot by Andrew Pickford in the 43rd minute of play forced FK Steaua Bucharest's goalkeeper Tommy Fitzsymon to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. When Ian Bonds came up free with the goalie in the 45th minute, the FK Steaua Bucharest 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 Ian Bonds couldn't finish the play. Af the end of the first half the score was 2-1. 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 Andrew Pickford made a kick off. In the 52nd match minute, FK Steaua Bucharest was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Calvin Gibbons to maneuver through the defense. The audience thought a goal was coming when Andre Hughes-Guy got free with Tommy Fitzsymon in the 53rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 55th minute, Ian Bonds ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Jez Hassell was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-1. In the 62nd minute, Tosh Homes hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Ian Bonds fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 65th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jez Hassell having to interfere. Jez Hassell made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ian Bonds in the 67th minute of play. 68 minutes into the match, FK Steaua Bucharest's Louis Fleetham sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Jez Hassell narrowly saved just below the crossbar. After 72 played minutes Polperro City got a freekick which was hit by Damion Craven. After 74 minutes, Ian Bonds made it 4-1 with a short kick to the right side. Polperro City's Jez Hassell tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. Andrew Pickford fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 83rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Tommy Fitzsymon having to interfere. Andrew Pickford's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Tommy Fitzsymon read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 86th minute of play. If Andre Hughes-Guy had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 91st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. After a defensive mix-up in Polperro City's zone, Louis Fleetham stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Jez Hassell came out of the goal and Louis Fleetham tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. 94 minutes into the game, Tosh Homes was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Polperro City's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave FK Steaua Bucharest the free kick. In the 95th minute, Tosh Homes hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. FK Steaua Bucharest's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.