League Play-Off

Burton upon Trent St
Spectators: 36 (Terracing: 28, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Max Bow started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. If Brandon Ellis had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 4th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 7th minute, Curtis Crittenden made a precise shot to the right of Darryl Alsford. Chorley's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 1-0. The supporters of Burton upon Trent FC booed when Chorley was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 21 match minutes in a wonderful position. Carlton Price didn't get a good kick on the ball. Graeme Hibbert's late challenge caught a Burton upon Trent FC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Graeme Hibbert helped the player get up and apologised. After a rather tough play, Chorley's Graeme Hibbert got a free kick in the 24th minute. A hard shot by Keith Gibbons from long distance, 25 minutes into the match, got Darryl Alsford's attention. Through a fast twist with his body, he could stop the ball from going in on his right side. Darryl Alsford took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Brandon Ellis, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 31st minute, Graeme Hibbert hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. The audience was convinced that Brandon Ellis's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Darryl Alsford was relentless in the 33rd minute of the game. After some fancy dribbling in the 35th minute, Brandon Ellis managed to get in a good position for a shot. Burton upon Trent FC's supporters rose to their feet, but Brandon Ellis was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Darryl Alsford breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 39th minute Carlton Price shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Clive Morris saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Chorley's Darryl Alsford played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Brandon Ellis in the 47th minute of play. When the referee blew for the end of the half the home team players were clearly happier, as they went in to the break leading 1-0.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Brandon Ellis was the one to do the kick off. With a little luck, Burton upon Trent FC's Clive Morris got control of the ball when Carlton Price tried to sneak it across the goal line. If Max Bow had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 56th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience thought a goal was coming when Carlton Price got free with Clive Morris in the 57th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. When Tyrone Sawbridge fell near the penalty area in the 58th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Burton upon Trent FC's protests and gave Tyrone Sawbridge a yellow card for diving instead. In the 58th minute, Tyrone Sawbridge hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After some careless play in the Burton upon Trent FC defense, Carlton Price kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Clive Morris. The Burton upon Trent FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Clive Morris should have stopped the shot. When Carlton Price came up free with the goalie in the 65th minute, the Chorley 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 Carlton Price couldn't finish the play. Max Bow struck a weak shot in the 69th minute. Clive Morris didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Chorley. 72 minutes into the match, Burton upon Trent FC's goal looked a bit too open when Max Bow came free, but Clive Morris reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Max Bow struck a weak shot in the 79th minute. Clive Morris didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Chorley. Darryl Alsford took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Brandon Ellis, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. In the 86th minute, Brandon Ellis 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. Curtis Crittenden recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 88th minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Greg Bow hit a great freekick 95 minutes into the match. Darryl Alsford didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Curtis Crittenden went, in the 96th minute, to the upper right corner, 2-1 was the resulting score. Chorley's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.