League

Birkenhead
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) Dark clouds were building up when the players entered the field. None of the them looked very eager to play. Walter Castledine started the match with the kick off. If Harry Pickering had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 3rd minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Gaz Fielden hit a great freekick 6 minutes into the match. Denis Swift was a little too slow when Walter Castledine got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 8th minute. The score was now 1-0. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Keanu Wardell during the 11th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. The supporters of Andover booed when Machiavellian was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 11 match minutes in a wonderful position. Keanu Wardell didn't get a good kick on the ball. 13 minutes into the match, Machiavellian's goal looked a bit too open when Brendon Doona came free, but Johnny Brooke reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. The supporters of Andover booed when Machiavellian was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 13 match minutes in a wonderful position. Keanu Wardell didn't get a good kick on the ball. After 14 played minutes Machiavellian got a freekick which was hit by Ray Alsop. 15 minutes into the game, Silvester Bedford was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Andover's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Machiavellian the free kick. Shawn Sutton kicked well hit freekick during the 18th minute of the match. When Andover's Brendon Doona in the 23rd minute got a chance for a shot 23rd didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Machiavellian's goalie prevented a goal. Andover's defense didn't have a chance, in the 26th minute, when Ray Alsop scored to the left of an out of position Denis Swift, making the score, 2-0. After 29 played minutes Andover got a freekick which was hit by Silvester Bedford. Walter Castledine received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 30th minute. Denis Swift tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. In the 32nd minute Walter Castledine shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Denis Swift saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Danny Sadler fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 33rd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Johnny Brooke having to interfere. Keanu Wardell could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 40th minute of the match, but Denis Swift made a huge save. In the 41st minute, Keanu Wardell hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 43rd minute Brendon Doona shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Johnny Brooke saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Johnny Brooke showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Danny Sadler in the 44th minute of the match. A collision led to Machiavellian getting a freekick after 45 minutes play. Damion Rowett hit a great ball. In the 46th minute, Danny Sadler left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Andover fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 3-1. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 3-1 at half-time.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Brendon Doona to make the kick off. 53 minutes into the match, Walter Castledine had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Denis Swift. Andover's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Walter Castledine was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 4-1. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Shawn Sutton during the 56th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. The supporters of Andover booed when Machiavellian was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 56 match minutes in a wonderful position. Shawn Sutton didn't get a good kick on the ball. In the 65th minute Ray Alsop shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Denis Swift saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Machiavellian's Johnny Brooke played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Brendon Doona in the 66th minute of play. In the 70th minute, Gaz Fielden hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. 76 minutes into the match, Andover's goal looked a bit too open when Walter Castledine came free, but Denis Swift reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 77th minute, one of Andover:s players had the ball in front of the goal but got pushed and fell. The referee felt it was an obvious case and blew a penalty for Andover. Lawrence Marriott walked up to take care of the penalty kick. He was aiming for the top corner, but the ball went just outside the post. Denis Swift took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Toby Jones, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After a defensive mix-up in Machiavellian's zone, Danny Sadler stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Johnny Brooke came out of the goal and Danny Sadler tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Denis Swift came out of the goal in the 89th minute to try and stop a shot by Machiavellian's Walter Castledine. But to his dismay, Walter Castledine quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 5-1. After a rather tough play, Machiavellian's Shawn Sutton got a free kick in the 94th minute. Andover's Danny Sadler got a good chance for a goal in the 95th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Andover's Danny Sadler got a good chance for a goal in the 98th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. For all the effort they put into the match, the Andover players left disappointed. They had fought hard, but couldn't break down the home team's defense. The match ended in a win for Machiavellian.