League

THE POWER OF DREAMS
Spectators: 8482 (Terracing: 6363, Seating: 1950, VIP seats: 169) SEA THE STARS's Marlon Higginson started the match with a crisp pass. The crowd had been anticipating this game for weeks and the excitement in the stadium was easily visible. The supporters of SEA THE STARS booed when Hilsea was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 4 match minutes in a wonderful position. Orson Gamble didn't get a good kick on the ball. When Howard Carpenter came up free with the goalie in the 6th minute, the SEA THE STARS 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 Howard Carpenter couldn't finish the play. Marlon Higginson sent away a hard shot on goal in the 10th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. SEA THE STARS were awarded a corner in the 13th minute after Hilsea's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Gwyn Pilgrim took the corner. Marlon Higginson blasted a shot towards the goal in the 15th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without John England having to make a save. In the 16th minute, SEA THE STARS's Marlon Higginson dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 1-0. The supporters of SEA THE STARS booed when Hilsea was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 19 match minutes in a wonderful position. Verne Lemerond didn't get a good kick on the ball. After some careless play in the Hilsea defense, Howard Carpenter kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of John England. The Hilsea fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that John England should have stopped the shot. The crowd rose to their feet as Howard Carpenter kicked a wonderful shot that went in to the left of a diving John England. That made the score 3-0 in the 24 minute of play. After some fancy dribbling in the 27th minute, Marlon Higginson managed to get in a good position for a shot. SEA THE STARS's supporters rose to their feet, but Marlon Higginson was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. John England breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. Antony Clifford hit a great freekick 29 minutes into the match. In the 33rd minute, SEA THE STARS's Howard Carpenter dribbled the ball into the box and hit a shot with the outside of his foot, sending the keeper the wrong way. 4-0. When the match had gone on for 36 minutes, Marlon Higginson took a quick shot and it went in 5-0 without a chance for John England to make any attempt to save it. Cody Sheppard kicked well hit freekick during the 39th minute of the match. Hilsea's Kenny Dobson got a good chance for a goal in the 40th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. In the 43rd minute of the match, Howard Carpenter tried to roll the ball into the goal by the right post, but John England saw his intentions and got control of the ball before it passed the line.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Sidney Doyle to make the kick off. If Ashley Driver had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 51st minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. An unexpectedly hard shot by Howard Carpenter in the 52nd minute of play forced Hilsea's goalkeeper John England to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. SEA THE STARS were awarded a corner in the 54th minute after Hilsea's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Gwyn Pilgrim took the corner. Gwyn Pilgrim made a great header on SEA THE STARS's corner, it was just that Hilsea's John England managed to reach the ball for a save. Thanks to some nice foot action and superb ball handling Sidney Doyle in the 55th minute a chance for a shot on goal. With an extended leg and a bit of luck Alfred Clough prevented the ball from getting in the gole. A collision led to Hilsea getting a freekick after 56 minutes play. Ashley Driver hit a great ball. Louis Craven kicked well hit freekick during the 59th minute of the match. The supporters of Hilsea booed when SEA THE STARS was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 61 match minutes in a wonderful position. Todd Nicholson didn't get a good kick on the ball. John England took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Howard Carpenter, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. Ashley Driver who was well placed in front of the goal fired away a dangerous shot that in the 67thth minute tested the skills of Alfred Clough when he managed to save the team from getting behind. When Sidney Doyle, who was free, got the in front of the goal in the 70 minute he wasn't focused and tipped the ball just over the goal. The Alfred Clough was delighted since the ball would have got in if it had gone under the crossbar. Verne Lemerond took a chance and fired a shot far from the goal in the 72nd minute, but it turned out to be a dangerous situation for Alfred Clough. SEA THE STARS's goalkeeper really had to stretch himself to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. Alfred Clough made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Sidney Doyle in the 73rd minute of play. John England didn't have a chance when a screaming shot from Howard Carpenter went, in the 75th minute, to the upper right corner, 7-0 was the resulting score. If Sidney Doyle had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 78th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. Marc Nelthorpe hit a great freekick 85 minutes into the match. Howard Carpenter sent away a hard shot on goal in the 88th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Hilsea's John England played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Marlon Higginson in the 89th minute of play. Alfred Clough made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Sidney Doyle in the 91st minute of play. SEA THE STARS's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.