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Match Report
Hectanooga
Spectators: 6724 (Terracing: 5000,
Seating: 1724, VIP seats: 0) The sun was shining, the grass was green and the audience cheered when Forrest Guzman got the match started through his kick off. The audience thought a goal was coming when Leon Nadeau got free with Tommie Gougeon in the 3rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Dirk Aponte fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 8th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Tommie Gougeon having to interfere. After 13 minutes, Kurtis Mock mouthed his way into the referee's book. The tension between the Hectanooga and the Niagara players grew even worse after the yellow card. The supporters of Niagara booed when Hectanooga was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 13 match minutes in a wonderful position. Kurtis Mock didn't get a good kick on the ball. Niagara's Tommie Gougeon proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 16th minute of the match, managed to save Niagara from getting a goal against them. In the 16th match minute, Niagara was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Carroll Bonilla to maneuver through the defense. When Adam Shipp came up free with the goalie in the 20th minute, the Niagara 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 Adam Shipp couldn't finish the play. Boyce Holley sent away a hard shot on goal in the 23rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Lawrence Lagueux hit a great freekick 30 minutes into the match. In the 34th minute of the match Ignace Wise sent off a long shot with destination to the right of the goalkeeper, but Tommie Gougeon skillfully saved the ball. Forrest Guzman fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 36th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Connie Kimbrough having to interfere. After a defensive mix-up in Hectanooga's zone, Adam Shipp stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Connie Kimbrough came out of the goal and Adam Shipp tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Forrest Guzman fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 42nd minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Connie Kimbrough having to interfere. In the 43rd minute, Rudolph Thayer hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After a very even first half the match was still tied. The players went to their respective dressing rooms to discuss the tactics for the second half.
Adam Shipp received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 53rd minute. Connie Kimbrough tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The supporters of Niagara booed when Hectanooga was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 54 match minutes in a wonderful position. Ignace Wise didn't get a good kick on the ball. Connie Kimbrough made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Forrest Guzman in the 55th minute of play. If Adam Shipp had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 56th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The supporters of Hectanooga booed when Niagara was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 59 match minutes in a wonderful position. Lawrence Lagueux didn't get a good kick on the ball. Adam Shipp recieved an excellent pass in front of the goal in the 62nd minute. Unfortunately, he received the ball on his off foot and could only manage a weak shot that went over the goal. Hectanooga's Connie Kimbrough played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Forrest Guzman in the 76th minute of play. In the 82nd minute, Lawrence Lagueux hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Carroll Bonilla hit a great freekick 90 minutes into the match. In the 93rd minute, Dirk Aponte 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. In a very dangerous position, a player in Hectanooga fell when an opponent tried to get the ball from him in the 98th minute. Penalty! The goalkeeper, Connie Kimbrough, was totally fooled by Niagara's Roderick Grimm, who 100 minutes into the game made a penalty shot that went in on the goalkeeper's left side. The Niagara supporters could be heard counting down the last seconds of the match. They errupted in celebration when the whistle blew, knowing Niagara would go home with victory in their luggage after a match that easily could have ended differently.
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