AFC Orchard started very brightly, and after only two minutes, early pressure from Jamie Lamplough caused disruption amongst the Saints back line and a chance opened up for Graeme ‘Bobby’ Hoff, whose shot beat the keeper, but rebounded to safety off the upright.
All the pressure for the next thirty minutes was on the Saints team, as Orchard created more and more openings, but the breakthrough goal eluded them, and the Saints started to come more into the game just before half time, and with one of their first shots on goal, hit the far post to almost take the lead.
This turned out to be the only real heart-stopping moment that AFC Orchard had to endure in the game, mainly down to their strong defensive pairing of Adi Montana and Mike Harrison.
The second half started as brightly for Orchard as the first, but again, the strikers were not taking the chances that were presented to them by their creative midfield.
The breakthrough did come in the 65th minute when a ball over the top from Graeme Hoff was taken down by Jamie Lamplough, and calmly finished in the far corner past the onrushing Saints keeper.
Two minutes later, and Orchard almost doubled their lead, when Jamie Lamplough took the ball on the edge of the box and volleyed towards the corner of the goal, only for the keeper to make a brilliant save, tipping the ball around the post.
The work rate and pressure from the whole Orchard side had caused problems for the Saints defence throughout the game, and more chances were created, the nearest one to counting being when Lyndon Milnes had a tap in blocked on the line by a covering Saints defender.
The last ten minutes of the game comprised long balls and throw ins from an increasingly desperate Saints team, though the final word in the game almost went to Orchard in the final minute when Lyndon Milnes broke away, only to hit the cross bar. The rebound was tucked away by Graeme Hoff, who was then advised by Referee Natalie Musgrave that she had blown the final whistle before he completed the score!
