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| Biffa
(05/11/2006) 2006 - 2007 Season, Afc Hithercroft  The weather way dry and sunny but there was a chilly breeze blowing throughout this game. Afc Hithercroft were only able to muster ten players, Baz David and Kris Clark being out through injuries. The referee was Mr Peter Crawford and Pam Ife ran the line for Hithercroft. The game got under way at 10.37am and in the 9th minute Biffa opened the scoring when Rob Ewens collected the ball in the middle of the pitch and, as keeper Neil Stretton came forward, slotted the ball just inside the right-hand post. In the 17th minute Hithercroft’s Jamaine Warner had to leave the field for treatment to a raked left and just after his return Ashley Anderson also had to come off to receive treatment. Hithercroft had a number of attacking moves but were unable to break through the Biffa defence. In the 29th minute Frank Smith took the ball to the left corner flag and then crossed it inside but Kevin Howell's shot from about 8-yards out went outside the left-hand post. Biffa came close to getting a second goal in the 42nd minute when Rob Ewens hit a high curving shot from 25 yards out but the Hithercroft keeper leaped up and tipped the ball over the crossbar. Two minutes later Biffa were rewarded when Steve Martin received a cross from the right and, from just inside the 18-yard box, hit the ball into the back of the net. However, within sixty seconds Tyrone Francis, the Hithercroft captain, sent the ball across from the right and Ashley volleyed the ball into the right-hand side of the Biffa net to make the scoreline 2-1 to the home side at the interval. The second half began at 11.28am and Hithercroft went out to try to get the equaliser. Dan Birch, out on the left wing, played the ball into the middle and Ashley, positioned just outside the 18-yard box, turned and struck the ball towards the top of the goal but the Biffa keeper pushed the ball over the crossbar. Six minutes into the half Biffa played the ball out to the left, Steve Martin then brought it into the 18-yard box and he sent it into the far right-hand side of the net to extend the lead to 3-1. On 57 minutes Tyrone left the field for treatment to a knee injury, returning three minutes later. Hithercroft were tiring but were still trying to get back into the game. In the 82nd minute Ashley hit a shot from the right-hand edge of the 18-yard box but the Biffa keeper pushed the ball out for a corner kick. Hithercroft sent the ball low across the face of the goal but Dan was unable to get full control of it inside the 6-yard box and the defence eventually put the ball out of play to give Hithercroft another corner on the left. Tyrone sent the ball high into the 6-yard box and the keeper failed to gather the ball, it bouncing off his chest but his defence cleared the ball up field. Biffa had decided, understandably, to sit back and defend their lead and Hithercroft began to pressurise their goal but, when the final whistle blew had failed to make any change to the 3-1 scoreline. Hithercroft scorer: Ashley Anderson (45mins) Hithercroft team: Neil Stretton (GK), Dan Birch, Leon Browne, Jamaine Warner, Richard McKie, Ashley Anderson, Kevin Howell, Frank Smith, Tyrone Francis, Dewayne Dublin. Biffa scorers: Rob Ewens (9 mins), Steve Martin (44 mins, 51 mins) |
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