League

Anson Stadium
Spectators: 5000 (Terracing: 4000, Seating: 1000, VIP seats: 0) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Otto Cagle kicked off to start the match. After a defensive mix-up in Anson AFC's zone, Ned Turner stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Thad Avery came out of the goal and Ned Turner tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. In the 6th minute Ned Turner shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Thad Avery saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 8 played minutes Menlo got a freekick which was hit by Jim Banks. Ali Thomson didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Austin Dickens went, in the 12th minute, to the upper right corner, 1-0 was the resulting score. After some careless play in the Anson AFC defense, Lincoln Herndon kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Thad Avery. The Anson AFC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Thad Avery should have stopped the shot. Thad Avery made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Hank Masters in the 17th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Otto Cagle in the 20th minute of play forced Menlo's goalkeeper Ali Thomson to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Ali Thomson was a little too slow when Otto Cagle got a fine hit on the ball which went right into the goal in the 21st minute. The score was now 2-1. Ed Chung took the ball and in the 24 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Ali Thomson. Ali Thomson dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 3-1. After a rather tough play, Anson AFC's Otto Cagle got a free kick in the 27th minute. After 34 played minutes Menlo got a freekick which was hit by Winston Fraser. When Charlton Whitney came up free with the goalie in the 35th minute, the Anson AFC 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 Charlton Whitney couldn't finish the play. The crowd rose to their feet as Otto Cagle kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving Ali Thomson. That made the score 4-2 in the 37 minute of play. After 39 played minutes Anson AFC got a freekick which was hit by Ed Chung. Charlton Whitney took the ball and in the 45 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Ali Thomson. Ali Thomson dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 5-2. No-one was surprised that the home team were leading 5-2 at half-time.

Ned Turner sent away a hard shot on goal in the 53rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Enoch Norwood took the ball and in the 55 minute, shot a rapid shot to the right of a surprised Ali Thomson. Ali Thomson dived to the right, and did manage to get a hand on the shot, but it still went into the right corner making it 6-2. In the 59th minute, Winston Fraser hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After some careless play in the Menlo defense, Austin Dickens kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Ali Thomson. The Menlo fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Ali Thomson should have stopped the shot. Menlo's Ali Thomson played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Austin Dickens in the 69th minute of play. The referee was alert and spotted a serious foul by Hank Masters during the 71st minute. The player immediately received a yellow card. After 71 played minutes Menlo got a freekick which was hit by Hank Masters. In the 72nd minute, Jim Banks hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. In the 75th minute, Otto Cagle made a precise shot to the right of Ali Thomson. Menlo's defense was at fault, and the scoreboard reflected the new score, 8-2. Ali Thomson showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Austin Dickens in the 81st minute of the match. After 81 played minutes Menlo got a freekick which was hit by Emmanuel Bolton. In the 82nd minute Otto Cagle shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Ali Thomson saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. When the match had gone on for 84 minutes, Winston Fraser put it in 8-3 from a short distance just to the right of Thad Avery. Menlo were awarded a corner in the 88th minute after Anson AFC's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Lincoln Herndon took the corner. Ulysses Lindsay hit a great freekick 88 minutes into the match. When Anson AFC's Otto Cagle in the 93rd minute got a chance for a shot 93rd didn't hesitate and placed the ball to the right of the goalie. A beautiful save bye Menlo's goalie prevented a goal. There were very few away supporters still in the ground by the end of the match. Most of them had left early, disgusted by the way their team had been torn apart. Anson AFC fully deserved thier win.