Four First Half Goals Decides Dramatic Encounter
There were a number of reasons why Tiverton didn’t win this one. Composure in front of goal, an inspired goalkeeping performance, a defensive lapse, at least two very strong penalty shouts that were ignored, a very unfortunate Asa Hall shot that hit the insides of both posts and a resilient opposition.
Although Tiverton desperately need a new script writer, with the exits from the cups and two league draws all materialising after long periods of dominance. This however was our most complete display of the season, as two equally impressive halves from the Yellows, didn’t reach the desired conclusion.
Buoyed by the announcement of the return to the club of striker Dan Koita, the coaching team went with a back three of Winter, Palmer and Slough against Saturday's visitors Worcester Raiders. Asa Hall who has been managing an injury was amongst the substitutes and Billy Tucker was unavailable.
Instantly into their stride, a quick interchange of passes from the Yellows' saw Josh Bissett in the game’s opening minute, glide past his marker from out on the wing, into the box. It took a desperate block from a covering defender, to deflect his shot behind for a corner, with Ross Emery the Raider’s keeper rooted his spot.
This set the tone as Asa Hall’s men found a groove that was full of vision, movement and intense pressing and probing, meaning a large majority of the game was being played in the visitor’s half.
Ryan Keates and Aaron Wellington were winning their battles in the middle of the park and dictating play, as they swept the ball out wide to the dangerous Bissett and Jacob Wellington. This stretched our opponents, who were often chasing shadows, as Tiverton’s swift link up play pegged them back.
In the 5th minute, Ed Palmer strode out of defence and exchanged passes with Keates and Bissett, before continuing his run and receiving the ball just outside the Raiders’ area. Taking the ball round a player with some neat footwork, he forced himself into the box and only a last-ditch tackle stopped him from having another chance to give Tivvy an early lead.
Then in the 9th minute, Emery who was to go on to have an excellent game between the sticks, showed alert reflexes. When Horne got on the end of J. Wellington’s inviting cut- back, the striker fired goal bound, but fellow striker Owen Howe couldn’t get out of the way, as Horne’s effort ricocheted off of his back, changing the trajectory of the ball.
The razor sharp reactions of the keeper had him palming away at full stretch, low down to the corner of the goal. It was constant Yellows' pressure with at least Three corners and a long throw by the corner flag, illustrating our dominance.
Very little had been seen of Worcester in an attacking sense, but in the 10th minute with men committed forward, Tivvy fell behind. The visitors broke at pace and swapped passes outside our box, before ex West Brom academy player Stanley Asomugha rifled home an impressive technical strike to fire his side ahead.
The players though were undeterred by this setback and A. Wellington’s slaloming run, saw him carry the ball past a few challenges and unleash a shot that was partially parried by Emery into Horne’s path. His follow up found the back of the net, but was ruled out for offside.
Tiverton continued to pour forward, as rain started to lash down at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium. In the 26th with players up from a corner, in a cluttered Raiders’ box, the players reworked the ball and Keates looked crowded out when it was played to him in a very tight space.
However, he skilfully sent his marker the wrong way, with a step over with his back to goal and made room for a cross from a very tight angle. The cross had to be precise and it was. It found Horne at the back post, who had the simple task of nodding home and duly obliged. 1-1 and a top drawer piece of technical play, from Keates.
Individual skill though was followed by individual error as a stray back pass left Louis Smith exposed and former Bristol City prospect and Tivvy loanee Prince Henry chipped him, as the home fans could scarcely believe that they were behind again, when they should have been two or three in front.
Asa Hall’s men regained control of possession, with Bissett and J. Wellington relentlessly going past players in the wide areas. Horne set up A. Wellington with ten minutes of the half remaining. The midfielder didn’t quite get the contact he liked, but his attempt did shave the outside of the post.
An equaliser arrived minutes later. Bissett, who had been leading the Raiders on a merry dance, was tripped inside the area and an obvious penalty was given. Finn Roberts once again, forcefully despatching his spot-kick into the net, with just a little over five minutes of the half to play.
In the 40th minute Bissett delivered a corner into the box that Owen Howe got on the end of. His powerful header though was routinely parried away by Emery, whose assured handling had been a feature of the first half.
More pressure from the Yellows' continued, but a resolute away side kept Tiverton at bay and not for the first team recently the players and fans were left wondering how they were not in front at the break.
The game evened out in the opening ten minutes of the second half and a thundering long range effort from the Raiders, rattled the woodwork and ran across the goal line, a few minutes in. Asa Hall then replaced Keates in the 54th minute, who had a really good game.
Tivvy then started to get back on top again and but for becoming unbalanced when in a good position, entering the visitors box, Palmer’s tame shot could well have been a decisive one. More substitutions followed, as Steve Orchard and David Steele searched for a winning formula. Corey Koerner and Jack Kennell coming on for Finn Roberts and Aaron Wellington respectively.
The driving, committed Kennell added impetus to our play and with less than twenty minutes left, an exquisite hit from Hall cannoned off of the inside of both posts, much to the disbelief of players and fans. Hall was like a man on a mission and his second sumptuous strike minutes later produced a second brilliant save from Emery, to add to his one in the first half.
In the 80th minute with the Yellows' throwing the kitchen sink, at a side in the play off places before kick off, Bissett who had swapped wings, drifted inside and teed up Hall for a third attempt that was frantically charged down and went out for a corner. This prompted a breathless period of play where the Raiders’ were hanging on.
Balls were driven across the face of goal, a wrong footed Emery added to his collection of excellent saves as he readjusted to spring across and push away with a strong hand and then two extremely strong penalty claims didn’t amount to either being given.
A clear handball was adjudged to have been accidental, although it prevented an easy goalscoring opportunity and then the very impressive Palmer was bearing down on goal and was inside the area, when a heavy challenge that appeared mistimed stopped him in his tracks.
The match ended in a draw and yes the team will be hugely disappointed that they couldn’t get over the line again or put the Raiders’ away, but positives must be taken too, as there was no tapering off in the second half and it was a complete performance from the Yellows'.
The re-signing of Koita from Taunton will add to our firepower and hopefully we will see a reversal of fortunes. Injury will keep him out in the short term though, so we will look to the existing squad on Tuesday evening at home, to try and rediscover that winning feeling against Hartpury who beat Barnstaple 2-1 on Saturday.
Tiverton Town: Smith(GK), Winter, Palmer(C), Slough, A Wellington(71), Keates(54), J.Wellington, Roberts(68), Bissett, Horne, Howe
Subs: Hall(54), Kennell(71), Koerner(68), Wood,
