League

Hadleigh Park
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. Phillip Percival started the match with the kick off. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Tod Edwards in the 3rd minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Danny Patten prevented the ball from getting in the gole. In the 9th minute Rio Laurie shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Damon Buckley saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. An unexpectedly hard shot by Nat Robson in the 11th minute of play forced Wirral County's goalkeeper Danny Patten to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Zak Swallow hit a great freekick 12 minutes into the match. In the 14th match minute, Wirral County was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Denzil Senior to maneuver through the defense. When Will McAleer fell near the penalty area in the 18th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Wirral County's protests and gave Will McAleer a yellow card for diving instead. Rio Laurie received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 26th minute. Damon Buckley tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Tod Edwards during the 27th minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. Richard Noble sent away a hard shot on goal in the 32nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. When Jack Woods came up free with the goalie in the 37th minute, the Hadleigh United 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 Jack Woods couldn't finish the play. When Hadleigh United's Richard Noble in the 43rd minute got a chance for a shot 43rd didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Wirral County's goalie prevented a goal. Stu Marsden's late challenge caught a Wirral County's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Stu Marsden helped the player get up and apologised. Phillip Percival fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 46th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Damon Buckley having to interfere. After 50 minutes of play, Hadleigh United's Jack Woods made it 1-0 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Danny Patten was left in no man's land by his defense there!

The wind increased when Richard Noble made the kick off in the second half. Wirral County's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Andrew Borrowdale in the 63rd minute. Wirral County's Danny Patten played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Jack Woods in the 72nd minute of play. Zak Swallow hit a great freekick 77 minutes into the match. If Phillip Percival had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 80th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. Damon Buckley showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Phillip Percival in the 80th minute of the match. Phillip Percival fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 82nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Damon Buckley having to interfere. After 84th play minutes Rio Laurie shot 1-1, a short shot which went by Damon Buckley and just under the crossbar into goal. After some fancy dribbling in the 91st minute, Jack Woods managed to get in a good position for a shot. Hadleigh United's supporters rose to their feet, but Jack Woods was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Danny Patten breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Hadleigh United's attacker deliberately struck the ball against an opponent to win a corner for his team. The corner was taken by Derek Walton in the 95th minute. Will McAleer thought of kicking away a contribution in front of goal but messed it up so badly that the ball went to the right of an astonished Danny Patten, a very annoying self made goal in the 95th minute which led to 2-1. Hadleigh United were really happy, having secured the victory after a very even contest. They thanked the players of Wirral County for a fine match.