League Play-Off

Abbey Grounds
Spectators: 34 (Terracing: 26, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) After 3 minutes of play, Dawlish AFC's Cliff Sledge made it 0-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Jeff Price was left in no man's land by his defense there! If Bryan Nelthorpe had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 6th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Bryan Nelthorpe in the 9th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Jeff Price saved Kirkstall FC from getting behind. In the 14th minute, Jude Lyons reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Rodd Tabb. The goal made the score 1-1. Through an outstanding action, after 18 minutes, Rodd Tabb successfully got his hands on the ball before it slid into the goal at the right post. In the 19th minute, Jamal Rain left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Kirkstall FC fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 2-1. If Jude Lyons had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 22nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. A collision led to Kirkstall FC getting a freekick after 28 minutes play. Tyrone Silvester hit a great ball. When Cliff Sledge came up free with the goalie in the 31st minute, the Dawlish AFC 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 Cliff Sledge couldn't finish the play. Kirkstall FC's Jeff Price played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Bryan Nelthorpe in the 35th minute of play. When Bryan Nelthorpe came up free with the goalie in the 36th minute, the Dawlish AFC 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 Bryan Nelthorpe couldn't finish the play. Cliff Sledge fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 40th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jeff Price having to interfere. In the 42nd minute, Cliff Sledge got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Bryan Nelthorpe in the 44th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Jeff Price saved Kirkstall FC from getting behind. Cliff Sledge received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 45th minute. Jeff Price tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Cliff Sledge fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 47th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Jeff Price having to interfere. Af the end of the first half the score was 2-1. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

The wind increased when Jude Lyons made the kick off in the second half. Jamal Rain received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 58th minute. Rodd Tabb tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After having played for 59 minutes, Jamal Rain managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Kirkstall FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Jamal Rain was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. Jude Lyons struck a weak shot in the 63rd minute. Rodd Tabb didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Kirkstall FC. In the 73rd minute, Russ Sherman hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Jude Lyons recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 78th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. 81 minutes into the match, Kirkstall FC's goal looked a bit too open when Bryan Nelthorpe came free, but Jeff Price reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. If Jamal Rain had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 87th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Dawlish AFC's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.