This was the second leg of the playoff final, following a 1.1 draw on Wednesday night when Robbie Matthews scored an equaliser with his first touch of the ball after coming off the bench. Amy and I had listened to the game at home and it sounded as if both teams could have won it.
Left early for the game to get a good spot on the terrace and picked up a couple of waifs and strays on the way. Pete had suggested a meetup at the Old Castle but ended up in bed until early afternoon with a hangover so needed a lift up while Andy was waiting in the Old Castle for Pete to arrive, so picked him up on the way.
The new ground improvements were not open at the home end but the 250-300 Stortford fans were allowed access to part of the away terrace and seating in the main stand. I have to admit to being a bit nervous throughout the game but a great head down from Robbie Matthews to set up Matt Tubbs to run through on goal and slot the ball in after 18 minutes settled me down a few minutes. However when Stortford pulled back an equaliser with a great shot on 34 minutes the nerves were jangling again as they were playing some good football.
Half time 1.1 - and only thanks to the heroics of Ryan Clarke did it stay that way in the second half. Danny Clay underhit a backpass which a Stortford player picked up on but Clarke was out quickly to get the ball. An even better chance came up a few minutes later when a goalmouth scramble saw the ball fall to a Stortford player just in front of us - he hit the ball down into the ground and over the bar when the goal was gaping.
Approaching extra time and both teams were really going for it - Matt Tubbs was close on a couple of occasions. He was substituted at full time for Marvin Brown who played a vital role in extra time. After 100 minutes he held the ball up and flicked it into Robbie Matthews, who ran forward and blasted the ball into the net in front of the home fans who went mental. In the last few minutes Salisbury caught Stortford on the counterattack. Brown held the ball up again and played it though to Mike Fowler who placed a shot past the keeper for 3.1 - at last the nerves went and the party could start!
We headed back to the car and listened to the Havant v Braintree game on Radio Solent - like our game this had gone to extra time but neither team had been able to score so it had gone to penalties. I opened up the car doors and we stood in the sunshine listening to see who we would face in the final - I was hoping for Braintree as I thought we would have a better chance against them, so I was delighted when they won the tie on penalties.
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