League

Stade Marcel Picot
Spectators: 7399 (Terracing: 5625, Seating: 1725, VIP seats: 49) Jack Taylor started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. After 3 minutes of play, Nancy AFC's Jimmy Riad made it 1-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Pete Eslworth was left in no man's land by his defense there! The supporters of Yardley booed when Nancy AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 7 match minutes in a wonderful position. Alfie Downham didn't get a good kick on the ball. 10 minutes into the game, Nancy AFC's Jack Taylor nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Pete Eslworth made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-0. After some careless play in the Yardley defense, Jimmy Riad kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Pete Eslworth. The Yardley fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Pete Eslworth should have stopped the shot. In the 16th minute the ball was on its way in behind Nancy AFC's goalkeeper Walter Gardner, but with the help of a sacrificing defense, he could catch the ball at the crossbar. Walter Gardner showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Sidney Bancroft in the 18th minute of the match. A hard shot 19 in the game by Jack Taylor from a close distance when the talented Pete Eslworth managed to make a qualified save. Yardley's players were relieved. Nancy AFC's Walter Gardner played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Zack Langdon in the 23rd minute of play. 24 minutes into the match, Yardley's goal looked a bit too open when Jimmy Riad came free, but Pete Eslworth reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Jack Taylor who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 28thth minute tested the skills of Pete Eslworth when he managed to save the team from getting behind. Nancy AFC's Walter Gardner played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Stephen Goodfellow in the 30th minute of play. In the 31st minute, Ian Caton made a precise shot to the right of Walter Gardner. Nancy AFC's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 3-1. Jimmy Riad sent away a hard shot on goal in the 39th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Yardley's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Tristram Yeo in the 43rd minute. A nice corner shot did that Tristram Yeo got away a dangerous shot. Despite this Walter Gardner quite easily got ahold of the ball to make the save. After having played for 45 minutes, Jack Taylor managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Nancy AFC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Jack Taylor was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 3-1 at half-time.

The hometeam waved at the audience when it was time for Ian Caton to strike the kick off in the second half. 51 minutes into the match, Yardley's goal looked a bit too open when Jimmy Riad came free, but Pete Eslworth reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. In the 53rd minute, Jimmy Riad ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Pete Eslworth was frozen by the shot and now it was 4-1. Walter Gardner made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ian Caton in the 57th minute of play. After 59 played minutes Nancy AFC got a freekick which was hit by Felix Howard. Jimmy Riad received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 61st minute. Pete Eslworth tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Walter Gardner made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Ian Caton in the 65th minute of play. 67 minutes had been played when some careless play by Nancy AFC's defense caused the ball to cross the line for a corner. Tristram Yeo was slow to take the kick. During this time Yardley's players had a chance to rest. Yardley's Tristram Yeo was first on the ball when the corner was shot and he dangerously headed the ball towards goal, but Walter Gardner in the goal jumped up to prevent it from getting in. Pete Eslworth stood for a superb save when he managed to get hold of Jack Taylor's shot from short distance in the 68th minute. When Zack Langdon came up free with the goalie in the 72nd minute, the Yardley 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 Zack Langdon couldn't finish the play. Nancy AFC's defense didn't have a chance, in the 73rd minute, when Ian Caton scored to the left of an out of position Walter Gardner, making the score, 4-2. Sidney Bancroft's late challenge caught a Nancy AFC's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Sidney Bancroft helped the player get up and apologised. A collision led to Yardley getting a freekick after 78 minutes play. Sidney Bancroft hit a great ball. When Nancy AFC's Jack Taylor in the 82nd minute got a chance for a shot 82nd didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Yardley's goalie prevented a goal. In the 83rd minute Jimmy Riad shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Pete Eslworth saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 85 minutes, Jack Taylor made it 5-2 with a short kick to the right side. Yardley's Pete Eslworth tried to save the shot but he was too slow in reacting to the shot. Yardley's Pete Eslworth played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Jimmy Riad in the 88th minute of play. Dave Willets could have scored with his fast shot on goal in the 90th minute of the match, but Walter Gardner made a huge save. The supporters of Yardley booed when Nancy AFC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 91 match minutes in a wonderful position. Rodney Kessler didn't get a good kick on the ball. Nancy AFC's Walter Gardner played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Ian Caton in the 93rd minute of play. Yardley's players left the field with heads hung low after losing a match that had been finely balanced throughout.