LIV FC

Not a new ground for me for this one as LIV play at Haworth Park, former home of now defunct Hall Road Rangers. It's a basic facility but does everything it needs to, a small covered stand with retro wooden bench seating, a bar facility and food on offer as well as ample standing space around two sides. It's really too far to walk from the middle of Hull so get the York bus to the Emmott Road bus stop, about a 25 minute ride away.

The opposition were Bradford based club Route One Rovers, who boast the prolific Zak Khan in their forward line alongside ex York forward Reece Thompson, however neither were in the squad today. I didn't know what to expect given LIV are newly promoted to the division and Route One are a fairly new club themselves, both have made solid top half starts to the season.

The game was fast paced with LIV getting the ball forward quickly but accurately with Rovers playing a more measured way based on working the ball out wide. It took until the 18th minute for a goal when LIV they got a penalty for reasons unknown, which was initially saved but they duly followed it up emphatically. Two minutes later Rovers were through to equalise but missed for a good save and then the follow up was put wide. They got the equaliser seconds later however when after good play down the left, the keeper half saved the effort, but when the ball was spilled the winger was alert and ran in to score. The visitors were showing more quality and should have took the lead but for another good stop from the LIV keeper. On the half hour mark LIV went back in front with a curling effort into the top corner. There was a meagre crowd in attendance, at a head count I had 27 but it was announced as 37, given they have averaged 85ish I don't know where all the missing supporters were but it made for a flat atmosphere and will need to be improved on for the club going forwards. Route One almost equalised again minutes later good passing again and an excellent cross met by nobody as the two forwards were sauntering to get into the box, much to the managers disgust and rightly so.

Ten minutes into the second half and the home side were reduced to 10 men, after conversing with his linesman the referee held the red card aloft for the LIV defender, I have to say the challenge didn't look that bad from over the far side but he went with little complaint. As sometimes happens in football this made LIV even more determined and dominant and just after the hour mark they went 3.1 to the good with a daisy cutter that took a huge deflection and nestled into the Route One net. The minutes passed by and you couldn't tell the home side had a man less with them dictating the game excellently and the visitors just getting more and more frustrated and losing focus on the game. With 8 minutes left a poor pass back from the Rovers number 12 saw Victory Ojei race through only to inevitably be brought down by the keeper for a penalty. He gave the ball to his team mate who made no mistake despite the keeper guessing the right way, some might say he was lucky to stay on the pitch but I assume the referee concluded that there was a covering defender when the foul was committed. Ojei then missed a sitter two minutes from time as he fired over from 3 yards. An emphatic win for LIV and fully deserved.