Match Report: Tiverton Town 1-2 Exmouth Town @Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium

Match Report by Darren Holmes

At the midway point of this match the Yellows’ who premiered their impressive new kit were in control of this one. However,  Matt Wright’s early second half goal for Exmouth and Finn Roberts sending off, turned the outcome of this game on its head. A dominant first half display from Asa Hall’s men, for various reasons, couldn't be followed up in the second period.

Billy Tucker made his first competitive start of the season. Because of an injury to Caleb Pryce-Hall and Karim Coulibaly being unavailable, Tucker took up the second forward position alongside Owen Howe. With games coming in rapid succession, Jack Kennell regained his place in the line up and Aaron Wellington took his place on the bench.

Otherwise the Yellows' remained intact from Saturday’s FA Trophy win at Bideford. Exmouth fielded an eleven that included ex Yellows'; Matt Wonnacott, Joe Belsten, Louis Morison, Ollie Knowles and Matt Wright. The latter proved to be Exmouth’s match-winner.

A crowd of 424 was in attendance for this August bank holiday clash, in the league and a match very much of two halves was witnessed by the local fans and a significant number of Town followers, who were euphoric after the final whistle.

Flying out of the traps, the yellows' quickly grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck. In the 4th minute whilst on the front-foot, Tucker fed Asa Hall whose searching cross in, just evaded Jacob Wellington and former Tivvy player Joe Belsten was on hand, to vitally clear for a corner.

Finn Robert’s delivery arrived in a hurried fashion at Matt Wood, whose header from the edge of the six yard box came out of a number of bodies and went over the cross-bar.

A few minutes later, following more Tiverton pressure, Exmouth conceded a free kick out over by their corner flag and from the resulting ball in, Wood strongly connected with a volley from around the penalty spot, from which Wonnacott produced a good reaction save, to deny the Yellows’.

Tivvy then had to have their wits about them, as Exmouth broke and defended manfully, at the expense of a corner. It was the home side though that were soon back in possession and travelling back upfield. On the quarter of an hour mark, the Yellows’ progressed down Town’s right, but Asa Hall’s edge of the box strike was screwed wide.

Owen Howe then bore down on goal and was upended, with the Referee controversially allowing the advantage with all Tiverton momentum lost from the attack. In the 19th minute Tucker who had been involved in a lot of Asa Hall’s side's best moments, launched a long throw and a flick on saw Wonnacott show his agility in palming away.

The former loanee then kicked downfield shortly afterwards and found Matt Wright whose neat touch on, out of the air, caused initial problems. That was before Wood was able to get his body between, ball ‘n’ man and bring the ball away.

Forward Ben Steer briefly got the better of Wood, but the determined centre back recovered quickly and his close company saw the lively attacking player miss-control and put the ball out for a goal kick.

An interchange of passes involving Tucker, Mason Winter and Jacob Wellington made inroads down the visitors’ left, until Morison intervened with a crunching, well timed tackle, just over five minutes from the break.

A bit of theatre then ensued with Morison going down holding his face. This meant that the physio came on and resulted in him with the new rule change, leaving the pitch for a minute.

Whilst he was off the field, the Yellows' mounted an attack and a fine piece of wing play from Tucker, saw him buy a yard with a slight feint and fizz a curling, inviting cross into the box, which was glanced clinically home by the advancing Wellington.

This rubber stamped a mainly dominant first half performance from Tiverton, who arrived at the half time whistle a goal to the good, but not before Exmouth went close when Wright’s diving header flashed wide. Though the good vibes around the ground that had been created were all about to change, in a much contrasting second half.

The concession of an early corner provoked arguments in our defensive unit and from it, a bullet like header from Wright, a serial pantomime villain when playing against Tivvy, drew the East Devon side level.

The team’s slow start to the concluding half, became a nightmare start, when Roberts and Joe Belsten became entangled in some wrestling on the floor. A kick-out that missed Belsten from Roberts was seen by the match officials and the intent meant it was rightly deemed a red card. The Yellows' were down to Ten, in the 51st minute.

This clearly unsettled the hosts who had to frantically defend, as Kevin Hill’s side laid siege to our goal. A pinpoint pass from Ollie Knowles was controlled by Alex Cairo inside Tiverton's area, but much to the home side's relief he blazed high and wide.

A corner in the 58th minute, meant a series of blocks from a succession of snap-shots, kept Town at bay. A flying volley from Steer just cleared the crossbar with an hour played, as the visitors turned the screw.

A rattled Tivvy relieved the pressure when Wellington was brought down about 25 yards from goal, centrally. Ed Palmer was the designated taker, but it was a comfortable save for Wonnacott. A few minutes later an astute pass from Tucker, played Howe in. However, the striker’s chipped effort was expertly saved by Exmouth’s keeper. His outstretched hand parrying his attempt away.

In the 67th minute a first substitution was made. Billy Tucker who’d performed well was replaced by Aiden Horne. With a little over 20 minutes remaining another accurate, floated pass from Knowles to the back post was almost diverted in by an Exmouth forward and Tiverton breathed a sigh of relief, as it brushed off his boot.

A second change was made at this stage, as Louie Slough made way for Corey Koerner. A lot of the play then happened in the middle third, as both sides wrestled for possession. Another ex Tivvy man Tom Bath then came on, but despite each side’s search for a second goal, there was little in the way of goalscoring opportunities.

However, Knowles always a creative ball player, sent over a wicked cross and it was met by a powerful header from Wright that flew past Smith, to give his side an 85th minute lead.

Tiverton weren’t far away in the four minutes of added time from rescuing a draw. Jacob Wellington headed over and drove an effort wide, but it wasn’t to be and Exmouth were worthy winners on the day, after the Yellows’ had promised so much in the first half.

A setback for the side, who will be in FA Cup action on Saturday, when they take a trip to Cornwall where their opponents will be Western League Premier side St Blazey who were the conquerors of Barnstaple in the previous round.

Tiverton: Smith(GK), Winter, Wright, Palmer(C), Slough(70), Kennell, Hall(86), J.Wellington, Roberts(♦️51), Tucker(67), Howe(86)

Subs: Horne(67), A.Wellington(86), Keates(86), Koerner(70), Harford