 |
||
| Four
Seasons (28/01/2007) 2006 - 2007 Season, Afc Hithercroft  This away game began in sunny conditions but dark clouds began to obscure the sun as the game progressed. There was a very strong and bitterly cold wind blowing across the pitch which was damp but firm. The referee was Mr W. Harte and Pam Ife ran the line for Afc Hithercroft. The game kicked off at 10.33am with Afc Hithercroft wearing their red strip whilst their opponents wore blue to prevent a colour clash. After 6 minutes of Hithercroft pressure Ashley Anderson opened the scoring for the visitors when the Seasons’ keeper blocked a shot, sending it to the left of the goalmouth and Ashley ran in to tuck the ball into the net. Two minutes later the Seasons’ keeper failed to gather the ball and Tyrone Francis seized the opportunity to strike the ball into the back of the net to increase the visitor’s lead. In the 24th minute Frank Smith collected the ball on the left and hit it across the goal into the far side of the net to put Hithercroft 3-0 ahead. Four minutes later Hithercroft’s Dan Birch retaliated to a kick from the Seasons’ No.5 and both players were given a verbal warning by the referee. On 33 minutes Baz David took the ball down the right, speeding away from a defender, and crossed it to Ashley who sent the ball into the back of the net to score Hithercroft’s fourth. Ten minutes later Baz again took the ball, this time going down the middle of the field and played it forward to Tyrone. Tyrone took the ball to the right and, although a defender managed to get back onto the goal-line, Tyrone slipped the ball past him into the net to put Hithercroft 5-0 up. One minute later Seasons were awarded a free-kick and James Davies lined up for the kick. He hit the ball past the defensive wall but without a lot of pace and the Hithercroft keeper appeared to have it covered. However, the ball slipped between his legs and into the net to make the half-time score-line 5-1. With clouds gathering, the second half got under way at 11.24am and Hithercroft again put their opponents under pressure but wasted a number of shots by hitting them straight at the keeper. However, in the 52nd minute Baz sent the ball across the face of the goal and Kevin Howell got down low to head the ball over the goal-line to score Hithercroft’s sixth. Hithercroft then sent on all three substitutes replacing Dan Birch, Ryan Forbes and Jamaine Warner with John Baldock, Mike Baldock and Richard McKie. Following a number of unsuccessful shots on goal from Hithercroft the referee awarded them a penalty kick following a push and Kevin Howell hammered the ball past the keeper for a 7-1 lead in the 61st minute. Three minutes later the referee produced his yellow card to the Seasons’ No.19 following a foul on Richard. Soon after, Hithercroft‘s Kevin Midgley was adjudged to have handled the ball and so a free kick was awarded in the middle of the pitch and about 25 yards from the goal-line. The No.16, who had come on as a substitute just after the start of the second half, took the kick and sent the ball towards the top right corner of the goal but keeper, Neil Stretton, dived to pluck the ball out of the air. Kevin Howell later sent the ball against the crossbar when he attempted to score his hat-trick. For the final four minutes of the game Seasons were reduced to 10 men when their No.5 was sent off following a deliberate foul on Baz but no further scoring took place and Hithercroft emerged 7-1 winners. Hithercroft scorers: Ashley Anderson (6 mins, 33 mins), Tyrone Francis (8 mins, 43 mins), Frank Smith (24 mins), Kevin Howell (52 mins and a 61 min penalty) Hithercroft M.o.M: Tyrone Francis Hithercroft team: Neil Stretton (GK), Dan Birch, Kris Clark, Jamaine Warner, Kevin Midgley, Ryan Forbes, Tyrone Francis, Frank Smith, Baz David, Ashley Anderson, Kevin Howell Hithercroft subs: Richard McKie, John Baldock, Mike Baldock replaced Ryan Forbes, Jamaine Warner and Dan Birch (52 mins) Four Seasons scorer: James Davies |
||
 |
||