League

Minnitaki
Spectators: 6723 (Terracing: 5000, Seating: 1723, VIP seats: 0) The mood of the audience was pleasant when Carlo Lam made the kick off which started today's match. Carlo Lam might have been able to make a better finish in the 4th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Alvin Bonds. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Carlo Lam ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 6th minute, Stefan Cardenas got an opportunity to score, but he didn't get a solid hit on the ball and ended up kicking it wide of the goal. After 16 played minutes Minnitaki FC got a freekick which was hit by Absolon Thornton. 17 minutes into the match, Randell Monrency had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Theodore Nichols. Minnitaki FC's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Randell Monrency was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-1. Carlo Lam received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 25th minute. Alvin Bonds tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 27 played minutes, Minnitaki FC's Ollie Baker shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Alvin Bonds came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Minnitaki FC reached it. The supporters of Merritt FC booed when Minnitaki FC was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 30 match minutes in a wonderful position. Deandre Carney didn't get a good kick on the ball. Galen Lopez, 30 minutes into the match, dribbled the ball up the side of the field and decided to take a long shot at the goal. Unfortunately, the ball was poorly hit and landed closer to the corner than to the goal. Theodore Nichols showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Randell Monrency in the 32nd minute of the match. Gonzalo Whittington sent away a hard shot on goal in the 34th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. A collision led to Merritt FC getting a freekick after 39 minutes play. Cesar Blackman hit a great ball. Merritt FC's Joachim Betts got a good chance for a goal in the 42nd minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. Minnitaki FC's Theodore Nichols played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Randell Monrency in the 46th minute of play. Even after changing tactics the home team jogged off the field with a 0-1 deficit. They would have to work harder if they wanted to turn things around in the second half.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Randell Monrency was the one to do the kick off. In the 53rd minute Carlo Lam shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Alvin Bonds saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. 54 minutes into the match, Minnitaki FC's goal looked a bit too open when Randell Monrency came free, but Theodore Nichols reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. When Merritt FC's Randell Monrency in the 55th minute got a chance for a shot 55th didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Minnitaki FC's goalie prevented a goal. Randell Monrency's shot when he came free in front of the goal in the 59thth minute, Theodore Nichols skillfully showed off with a save to what seemed to be an obvious goal. If Duncan Flamand had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 60th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Carlo Lam received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 62nd minute. Alvin Bonds tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Alvin Bonds took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Duncan Flamand, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. If Gonzalo Whittington had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 66th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Ollie Baker lost his temper 76 minutes into the game and shoved another player to the ground. He was immediately shown a red card. After having played for 86 minutes, Duncan Flamand managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Minnitaki FC's supporters crossed their fingers, but Duncan Flamand was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. When Randell Monrency came up free with the goalie in the 92nd minute, the Merritt FC 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 Randell Monrency couldn't finish the play. Theodore Nichols showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Randell Monrency in the 94th minute of the match. In the 99th minute, Randell Monrency left the goalkeeper for dead before tapping the ball into the right side of the net. The Merritt FC fans were clearly happy with the effort and the scoreboard reflected the new score: 0-3. The referee blew the final whistle, and the away crowd roared, having watched Merritt FC eke out a victory against a very well matched opponent.