BOVEY Tracey 4 Tiverton Town 2

Match Report

St Lukes Devon Bowl Trophy Quarter Final

Tuesday March 10th

At Mill Marsh Park

Bovey Tracey 4

Leech 10,67 Bowker 56 Alpin 83

Tiverton Town 2

Basson 3, Horne 88

Brooklyn Wilkins v Weymouth (Viv Curtis)

Tiverton's delayed meeting with Bovey Tracey was finally completed, on any evening where the Moorlander's emerged victorious and progressed through to the Semi Final stage of the St Lukes Devon Bowl Trophy.

Tiverton were under strength with cup tied Player's and injuries meaning they fielded a slightly different Eleven from Saturday's game against Weymouth. With a few new faces; veteran Peter Grover and Sidmouth striker Giles Basson starting, along with long term injury absentee Dean Moxey coming into the line up, with Jaydon Biss a substitute at the weekend, a starter too.

Asa Hall missed out through injury and Gabe Billington wasn't available. However, Nine Players that were involved on Saturday were named in the matchday squad, for this cup tie.

South West Peninsula Premier East side Bovey Tracey, managed by Ben Gerring, who is assisted by Leigh Robinson are promotion favourites and included former Legendary Yellows’ striker Levi Landricombe in their Eleven.

It was the former Tiverton goal-scoring machine Landricombe who almost grabbed the game's opener, striking the upright barely a minute into the action. But with the rain lashing down it was Tivvy who drew first blood.

A smart turn from debutant Basson, took the ball past his marker and then he finished past Bovey keeper Dom Aplin. Three minutes had passed when Asa Hall's men took the lead. Although Seven minutes further into the game the home side evened things up.

Following a slick passing move, the final pass came from Jack Brimming who fed Callum Leech and he danced his way into the box and fired past John Ross for a 10th minute leveller. Just past the quarter hour mark, a testing corner in from Toby Stephen's caused Aplin to palm onto the bar.

With the slippy conditions playing their part, a physical battle ensued and sliding tackles were the order of the day. The Yellows’ showing glimpses of their technical abilities as the rain lashed down at Mill Marsh Park. 

With 30 minutes on the clock an adept flick on to Corey Koerner from Jacob Wellington nearly paid dividends. Koerner’s cross though evaded incoming players and then the lively Basson raced onto a ball that would have seen him in the clear, but for a foul that upended him.

Late pressure in the half from our hugely competitive hosts, saw some promising approach play, almost result in them holding the advantage at the break. John Ross produced a vital reaction save and then Grover's sliding clearance prevented a huge opportunity for Bovey.

A war of attrition and a challenging half drew to a close with honours even. It was Tivvy though that carved out the first chance of the concluding half.

A fast break from the Yellows’ saw Brooklyn Wilkins slide Basson in and break Bovey's line. The Sidmouth forward, brought a fine save out of Aplin who tipped his 46th minute effort against the post.

The home side however were playing with greater intensity in the the second period and Matt Wood was responsible for a great piece of last-ditch defending. His goal- line intervention in clearing the ball away, serving as an early warning sign, on 53 minutes.

Though it wasn't long before Bovey went ahead. Roberts's header rebounded off of Ross's crossbar and Josh Webber rolled a pass outside the area to Stuart Bowker and the Two ex Bideford men combined to telling effect, when striker Bowker fired powerfully into the goal.

That happened on 55 minutes and a fragile Tiverton conceded again in the 67th minute. Callum Leech with his second goal of the evening. As the ball came to him on the edge of the dee, he didn't connect cleanly. However it skidded off the surface  and accelerated into the net and the Yellows’ were Two in arrears.

Tyler Kelly replaced Brooklyn Wilkins in the 77th minute, but Six minutes later it was a Bovey substitute that put the game to bed. Ollie Aplin, something of a legend for the host's for his goal scoring feats, added a Fourth in the 83rd minute. Sliding in at the back post, after good work from the impressive Brimming.

The game was heading for a somewhat predictable conclusion at this point in the proceedings, but there was still time for Aiden Horne to pull one back in the dying ember's of the game.

The Yellows’ exiting the competition and Bovey Tracey good value for their win, moving into the semi-finals. Congratulation's to them and disappointment for Tiverton. Asa Hall's men move onto Saturday's away game in Dorset, versus mid table Wimborne.