Bideford mellow Yellows
Tuesday October 20th
St Lukes Challenge Cup Round 2
Tiverton Town 2
Winter 38 Horne 56
Bideford 4
Ewing (2) Simons Downing
A worrying sequence of results, including this latest in a run of three successive defeats means the Yellows’ have exited the St Luke's Challenge Cup and conceded ten goals in those defeats. Defending starts much higher up the pitch than the backline itself, but there is no doubt this and a failure to take chances, is hampering Tivvy at the moment.
A strong looking line up was selected for this local cup encounter. Corey Koerner(injury) wasn’t available, and Billy Tucker was also missing. Aiden Horne, Matt Wood and Ryan Keates all started, with Owen Howe, Asa Hall and Aaron Wellington making way from Saturday’s starters and they were all on the bench.
There were a number of players in the squads who had played for their opponents, on the night. Finn Roberts, Louie Slough, Ed Palmer, Owen Howe and Aaron Wellington are all ex-Robins. Sam Gleeson and Faren Simons are former Yellows.
An energetic press had Tiverton on the front foot in the game’s infancy, with the busy Bissett and Horne leading it. The former had an early shot blocked, as he drifted in off the line. Then Bideford found some fluency and drove forward themselves, but we're mainly kept at distance. Winter played the ball onto Bissett, whose instinct saw him cut inside and screw his shot just wide.
Bideford however were starting to threaten with neat incisive play through the thirds and Palmer took one for the team, in receiving a booking, to upend a Robin’s player in full full flight and bearing down on goal. A willing runner, Bissett skipped a challenge before finding the overlapping Keates. A lunge tackle on him, put the ball behind for a corner.
In the 17th minute though Jordan Ewing opened the scoring. A prolific striker this season, he confidently tucked away the ball into the box, to put his side in front. They almost doubled their lead a few minutes later, but a tap in produced a miskick from a visiting forward.
In the 23rd minute Horne embarked on a promising run, but prior to him getting his shot away, a Bideford defender got a foot in, and it dribbled through to keeper Gwillam. Five minutes later an explosive long-range hit looked like a second for the away side, but a flag was raised.
A little way past the half-hour mark, the Yellows’ surged into the final third. Bissett and Horne combined, however the latter couldn’t make a connection on the ball, and it filtered away for a corner, but the delivery went behind for a goal-kick, as it evaded onrushing Tivvy players.
What looked like a second disallowed goal due to a linesman’s flag was controversially overturned by the Referee, after consultation between the two. In the 33rd minute following what looked like a foul on Keates over by the dugout, play continued and a stretched Tivvy saw a neat finish by Bideford, immediately over-ruled by the linesman, who himself was over-ruled.
It has always been said that when you're not playing well that things tend to go against you, but within five minutes Asa Hall’s men had pulled a goal back. Knocking the ball around nicely on the clubhouse side, Robert’s floated an inviting cross into the area and a composed cushioned volley from the advanced Winter, saw him fire home into the roof of the net.
2-1 was a fair reflection on play going into the interval. However, sparked by pegging a goal back, it was a better Tiverton that ended the half. A Bissett run forced drastic action from a Robin’s player who saw yellow, with a heavy mistimed tackle. Then Kennell dragged wide, after Jacob Wellington had skilfully manufactured the opportunity for him.
The game resumed after the break with Tivvy playing at a higher tempo and winning most of the second ball. Kennell and Keates overturning possession and the game was mainly played in the visitors’ half. Concerted pressure saw them soon equalise.
A flowing piece of play, culminated in a good finish from a tight angle by the hardworking and lively Horne. That goal arrived in the 56th minute and it appeared at that stage that a complete turnaround was very much possible.
Shots and headers rained down on Bideford’s goal in the 61st minute. The away side only half cleared and four or five efforts inside the area were blocked by a desperate rearguard. Horne, Keates and J. Wellington all not too far away from putting Tivvy ahead.
Bideford still carried plenty of threat on the break, although Asa Hall’s men were starting to look a little bit more like the side that dismantled Shaftesbury not so long ago. Bissett and J. Wellington pressed and probed with the ball at their feet and the Yellows were flooding forward.
An injury to Ryan Keates saw Aaron Wellington replace him in the 70th minute. Shortly after the substitution Bideford came back into it. What looked like a perfectly good challenge from Winter, found the ref disagreeing and deeming it a yellow card offence.
With the game destined to go to penalties, on 82 minutes a retreating Wood made a timely last ditch tackle and regained possession, just in the nick of time with the visitors’ otherwise in on goal.
A minute later up the other end, Robert’s cross found A. Wellington, who was a fraction wide with his thumping header. A header at the back post though inside Tiverton’s box did find the target and in all fairness, Bideford going back in front with five minutes of normal time remaining, knocked the stuffing out of the team and three minutes afterwards the game was put to bed.
A euphoric Robins added a fourth and finished the Yellows’ participation in the competition. The dressing room will I’m certain have been a heated place, with memories of capitulations from last season not being far away from the fan’s thoughts as they left the ground, shortly after the final whistle.
All teams go through bad spells, and this is definitely a test of character for the squad currently. Next in the pipeline on the road is Larkhall, who we beat, midway through September. The Bath side are slowly climbing the table but are still in the relegation picture. Both teams will be desperate for points at the weekend and something as simple as who wants it more, could produce a victory.
Tiverton: Smith (GK), Winter, Palmer (C), Wood, Slough, Kennell (87), Keates (70), Roberts, J.Wellington (83), Bissett, Horne
Subs: A. Wellington (70), Stephens (83), Howe (87) Hall
