League

Gilling Ha
Spectators: 7506 (Terracing: 5630, Seating: 1726, VIP seats: 150) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Joseph Hepburn got the match started through his kick off. An unexpectedly hard shot by Ted Glasby in the 6th minute of play forced Burleyham's goalkeeper Ronny Woodhead to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Gavin Dumpleton's late challenge caught a Netherton Colts's player on the shin and left him crawling around in pain. The referee blew his whistle and produced the yellow card. Gavin Dumpleton helped the player get up and apologised. The supporters of Netherton Colts booed when Burleyham was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 7 match minutes in a wonderful position. Gavin Dumpleton didn't get a good kick on the ball. Rueben Barfield made a great header on Netherton Colts's corner, it was just that Burleyham's Ronny Woodhead managed to reach the ball for a save. Ronny Woodhead took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Tony Wiltshire, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. After some careless play in the Netherton Colts defense, Craig Bambrook kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Brad Huxtable. The Netherton Colts fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Brad Huxtable should have stopped the shot. 16 minutes into the match, Netherton Colts's goalkeeper Brad Huxtable had to clear away a ball on his right side after a cunning shot by Craig Bambrook. With a little luck, Netherton Colts's Brad Huxtable got control of the ball when Reg Reeve tried to sneak it across the goal line. After 17 minutes, Tony Wiltshire mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Netherton Colts and the Burleyham players grew even worse after the yellow card. In the 18th minute, Tony Wiltshire hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 21st minute Syd Ford shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Brad Huxtable saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 24 played minutes Netherton Colts got a freekick which was hit by Tony Wiltshire. In the 26th minute of the match Gavin Dumpleton shot from a long distance. The ball could have gone into the goal to the right of the goalkeeper, but Brad Huxtable showed his good shape when he easily got hold of the ball. Burleyham's Ronny Woodhead played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Joseph Hepburn in the 29th minute of play. The audience was convinced that Joseph Hepburn's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Ronny Woodhead was relentless in the 31st minute of the game. With a little luck, Netherton Colts's Brad Huxtable got control of the ball when Reg Reeve tried to sneak it across the goal line. 34 minutes into the match, Burleyham's goal looked a bit too open when Ted Glasby came free, but Ronny Woodhead reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Netherton Colts's Joseph Hepburn got a good chance for a goal in the 38th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. It was joyful for the audience to see Vince Dixon dribbling past the opponents defense line in the 44th played minute and put the ball into the net. 2-1. 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 2-1.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Syd Ford made a kick off. In the 54th minute, Reg Reeve ran past the defenders and hit a shot which went straight ahead into goal. Brad Huxtable was frozen by the shot and now it was 3-1. Ronny Woodhead showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Joseph Hepburn, who was totally free with the ball in the 59th minute. Brad Huxtable made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Vince Dixon in the 67th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Reg Reeve in the 68th minute of play forced Netherton Colts's goalkeeper Brad Huxtable to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Brad Huxtable came out of the goal in the 70th minute to try and stop a shot by Burleyham's Reg Reeve. But to his dismay, Reg Reeve quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 4-1. The crowd rose to their feet as Netherton Colts's Joseph Hepburn slotted home a wonderful shot that went in to the left of Ronny Woodhead. That made the score 4-2 after 76 minutes of play. Brad Huxtable made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Syd Ford in the 87th minute of play. After 88 minutes, Reg Reeve mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Burleyham and the Netherton Colts players grew even worse after the yellow card. Reg Reeve hit a great freekick 88 minutes into the match. After 92 minutes of play, Netherton Colts's Ted Glasby made it 4-3 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Ronny Woodhead was left in no man's land by his defense there! It was no surprise that this one had ended in a win for the home team. Burleyham had played much better football throughout.