National Premier Soccer League

South Central Conference

Saturday 7th May 2016

Kick off 19.30

Tulsa Athletics 1 Liverpool Warriors 1,  attendance 3,457

12′ 0-1

35′ 1-1

@ Athletics Stadium

4600, East 15th Street

Tulsa, OK 74114

$7 admission

No programme*

I had ample time to get from the baseball so plenty of time for a relaxed meal. Parking was adjacent to the stadium and free. The renamed Athletics Stadium, previously Drillers Stadium, had been home to Tulsa Drillers MiLB team from 1981 to 2009. There have been alterations to make the stadium more ‘soccer’ friendly, which included removing the 1st base bleachers, enabling the pitch to be lengthened. Capacity  here is 10,997, although that will surely never be tested. I am not sure who dreams up the attendance figures here, but I only estimated the turnout to be around the 600 mark ! There are plans for the stadium to be demolished and replaced by an indoor BMX arena, which is expected to be completed by 2019.

On entering the stadium, which had a proper professional feel to it, there was a programme being sold for $1, which apparently had been produced by the son of one of the Committee members. I declined the offer, but then decided to go back and buy one, only to find out they had sold out. Unlike some English Groundhoppers, who would have sulked, or even gone home,  it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the game by not getting one. As for the match, it was far too rushed and played at 100 mph. It was very physical and a surprise that the only red card, for the visitors, came five minutes into stoppage time at the end of the match.