League Play-Off

Birkdale
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Paulo Slimane started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. In the 3rd minute Paulo Slimane shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Jawhar Robime saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Ibrahim Basli hit a great freekick 5 minutes into the match. 10 minutes into the game, Paulo Slimane recieved a splendid long ball, split the defenders, and gently placed the ball to the left of Jawhar Robime. Paulo Slimane showed that you don't have to tear a hole in the net to score, 1-0. The supporters of Birkdale booed when Sittingbourne was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 13 match minutes in a wonderful position. Mehdi Zouari didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 15th minute of the match Birkdale's Jean Mzoughi broke free and sent away a ball that went into the goal by the right post. 2-0. Bahi Essebsi succeeded to score despite a near miss that spronge from right pole into the goal to 3-0 in the 23rd playminute. After some careless play in the Birkdale defense, Ahmed Sebki kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Hamadi Baccouche. The Birkdale fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Hamadi Baccouche should have stopped the shot. Jawhar Robime made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Paulo Slimane in the 33rd minute of play. After a defensive mix-up in Sittingbourne's zone, Paulo Slimane stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Jawhar Robime came out of the goal and Paulo Slimane tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Mongi Kallel received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 41st minute. Hamadi Baccouche tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Sittingbourne's Jawhar Robime played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Paulo Slimane in the 44th minute of play. Oussama Ouertani received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 49th minute. Hamadi Baccouche tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere.

The wind increased when Mongi Kallel made the kick off in the second half. 55 minutes into the match, Sittingbourne's goal looked a bit too open when Bahi Essebsi came free, but Jawhar Robime reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Jawhar Robime showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Paulo Slimane, who was totally free with the ball in the 57th minute. If Mongi Kallel had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 59th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Birkdale's Hamadi Baccouche proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 61st minute of the match, managed to save Birkdale from getting a goal against them. After a rather tough play, Sittingbourne's Moncef Hedi Jedidi got a free kick in the 62nd minute. In the 67th minute of the match Abdelwahab Marzouki shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Hamadi Baccouche showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Sittingbourne's Mongi Kallel got a good chance for a goal in the 68th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. The supporters of Birkdale booed when Sittingbourne was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 74 match minutes in a wonderful position. Moncef Hedi Jedidi didn't get a good kick on the ball. An unexpectedly hard shot by Paulo Slimane in the 79th minute of play forced Sittingbourne's goalkeeper Jawhar Robime to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. An unexpected shot in the 81st minute by Ahmed Sebki got the crowd on their feet, but to their dismay it went out on the left side. After a rather tough play, Sittingbourne's Mongi Sallemi got a free kick in the 84th minute. Bahi Essebsi received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 85th minute. Jawhar Robime tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Jawhar Robime took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Bahi Essebsi, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After some careless play in the Sittingbourne defense, Bahi Essebsi kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Jawhar Robime. The Sittingbourne fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Jawhar Robime should have stopped the shot. For all the effort they put into the match, the Sittingbourne players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for Birkdale.