League

Basil Hippodrone
Spectators: 7406 (Terracing: 5806, Seating: 1500, VIP seats: 100) Phillip Dietz started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. After a rather tough play, Dobby Dogs FC's Johnnie Harris got a free kick in the 2nd minute. 5 minutes into the match, Byzantium AFC's Phillip Dietz sent off a blazing shot straight on target, a shot that Johnson Earl narrowly saved just below the crossbar. If Phillip Dietz had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 6th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Phillip Dietz in the 8th minute of play forced Dobby Dogs FC's goalkeeper Johnson Earl to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 28 minutes into the match, Danny McElroy had an open shot that he just couldn't miss and scored to the right of Freddy Barton. Byzantium AFC's manager could be seen yelling to the referee that Danny McElroy was offside, but the referee ignored the protest. 0-1. Phillip Dietz sent away a hard shot on goal in the 40th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. With his leg Johnson Earl managed to avoid a goal in the 42ndth minute, when Byzantium AFC's Rodger Dunbar fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Freddy Barton showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Danny McElroy in the 46th minute of the match. Danny McElroy received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 48th minute. Freddy Barton tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. The crowd was extremely unhappy with the home team's performance in the first half. They were losing 0-1.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Ned Metz to make the kick off. The audience thought a goal was coming when Ned Metz got free with Freddy Barton in the 52nd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. When Boyd Watt fell near the penalty area in the 53rd minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Dobby Dogs FC's protests and gave Boyd Watt a yellow card for diving instead. After a rather tough play, Dobby Dogs FC's Boyd Watt got a free kick in the 53rd minute. Phillip Dietz charged in rather forcefully in the 55th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Phillip Dietz the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. A collision led to Byzantium AFC getting a freekick after 55 minutes play. Phillip Dietz hit a great ball. In the 56th match minute, Byzantium AFC was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Alfredo Dykes to maneuver through the defense. Johnson Earl took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Rodger Dunbar, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. The audience thought a goal was coming when Danny McElroy got free with Freddy Barton in the 63rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. After some fancy dribbling in the 69th minute, Danny McElroy managed to get in a good position for a shot. Dobby Dogs FC's supporters rose to their feet, but Danny McElroy was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Freddy Barton breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Rodger Dunbar struck a weak shot in the 71st minute. Johnson Earl didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for Byzantium AFC. In the 76th minute Rodger Dunbar shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Johnson Earl saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Johnson Earl showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Phillip Dietz, who was totally free with the ball in the 79th minute. In the 89thth minute of the game Ned Metz who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Byzantium AFC's Freddy Barton was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. Danny McElroy might have been able to make a better finish in the 96th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Freddy Barton. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Danny McElroy ran back to his position shaking his head. Dobby Dogs FC played a much better game than Byzantium AFC and deserved their victory. The Byzantium AFC players were clearly disappointed as they left the ground.