League

Maldon Stadium
Spectators: 7500 (Terracing: 5625, Seating: 1725, VIP seats: 150) Rackenford AFC's Jerome Barber 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. Marlon Hickson hit a great freekick 3 minutes into the match. Maldon's Kris Granger couldn't find anyone to pass the ball to, so he shot a long shot towards the goal in the 4th minute. The shot went wide which resulted in a goal kick for Rackenford AFC. Danny Bland took the ball and in the 6 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Lenny Beadel. Lenny Beadel dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 1-0. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Ivan Pitt during the 10th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Ivan Pitt kicked well hit freekick during the 10th minute of the match. In the 12th minute Sammy Osbourn suffered a thigh injury and had to be helped off the field. Jerome Barber's late challenge caught a Maldon's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Jerome Barber helped the player get up and apologised. 15 minutes into the match, Rackenford AFC's goalkeeper Lenny Beadel had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Danny Bland. In the 18th minute Jerome Barber shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Duncan Haigh saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. The supporters of Maldon booed when Rackenford AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 33 match minutes in a wonderful position. Jacob Forrester didn't get a good kick on the ball. 38 minutes into the match, Rackenford AFC's goalkeeper Lenny Beadel had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Danny Bland. Jerome Barber fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 39th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Duncan Haigh having to interfere. If Vinnie Osbourne had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 42nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Jerome Barber in the 43rd managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Duncan Haigh saved Maldon from getting behind. An unexpectedly hard shot by Jerome Barber in the 48th minute of play forced Maldon's goalkeeper Duncan Haigh to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball.

The wind increased when Danny Bland made the kick off in the second half. After a rather tough play, Rackenford AFC's Jerome Barber got a free kick in the 51st minute. An unexpectedly hard shot by Ivan Pitt in the 59th minute of play forced Rackenford AFC's goalkeeper Lenny Beadel to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After some careless play in the Rackenford AFC defense, Danny Bland kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Lenny Beadel. The Rackenford AFC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Lenny Beadel should have stopped the shot. 67 minutes into the match, Maldon's goal looked a bit too open when Jerome Barber came free, but Duncan Haigh reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 71st minute, Jerome Barber reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Duncan Haigh. The goal made the score 2-1. Danny Bland sent away a hard shot on goal in the 75th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. An unexpectedly hard shot by Danny Bland in the 77th minute of play forced Rackenford AFC's goalkeeper Lenny Beadel to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. When Ivan Pitt came up free with the goalie in the 80th minute, the Maldon 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 Pitt couldn't finish the play. Vinnie Osbourne fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 85th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Duncan Haigh having to interfere. In the 87th minute, Vinnie Osbourne ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Duncan Haigh was frozen by the shot and now it was 2-2. Danny Bland fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 91st minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Lenny Beadel having to interfere. Ivan Pitt received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 94th minute. Lenny Beadel tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Duncan Haigh made an important save on a dangerous shot by Vinnie Osbourne in the 97th minute. Both teams had looked equal from kick-off, and no-one was surprised when the match finally ended in a draw.