Pre-Season Match Report: BRIDGWATER UTD v TIVERTON TOWN

Pre-Season Match Report

Tuesday July 14th

At Fairfax Park

 

Bridgwater United 5

Collins 18,32,45 Beresford 65 Taylor 87

Tiverton Town 2

Horne 64 J.Wellington 75

Darren Holmes

It’s often said by the coaching staff of teams that Pre-season is more about performances than results. However, there is no escaping from a disappointing scoreline or a first half display at Western League Bridgwater that was somewhat short of the standard expected.

Continuing to experiment with a Three on this occasion didn’t work, although it must be pointed out that different personnel have taken up the starting berths in each of the games so far and it does take time forging relationships on the pitch.

Louis Smith once again took the gloves, Lewis Flowers was on the right side of the Three, Steve Walker in the middle and Louie Slough on the left. It appeared that Joe Wylie was at right wingback, with Finn Roberts on the other side. 

Asa Hall and Aaron Wellington occupied the centre of midfield, with Billy Tucker and Jacob Wellington ahead of Wylie and Roberts respectively in attacking midfield/ wing positions and Louis Jagger Cane was up top. Ed Palmer, Matt Wood and Ryan Keates were unavailable.

Chances came and went for both sides, with the sun beating down on an impressive playing surface. Jagger Cane’s pull back to Roberts was screwed wide, Aaron Wellington’s edge of the area piledriver cannoned off the woodwork and a Bridgwater effort was dragged wide of the post, with another attempt clearing the bar.

Although it was the hosts who drew first blood in the 18th minute. Will Collins who was a serial goalscorer for Tiverton under 18’s and had a good season at Sidmouth was on target after being played through.

A strong penalty shout for a trip on Jacob Wellington was waved away and a foul was given to the home side as we reached the first water break of the evening. Despite player-manager Asa Hall’s good use of the ball and promptings, the Yellows’ were far from fluent with their ball retention. 

When the game restarted there were minor improvements, but it was The Robins’ who were testing our backline and playing some neat football in the process. In the 32nd minute it opened up for Collins’ again and he duly obliged with his and Bridgwater’s second.

The Yellows’ were a little more crisp and incisive with their passing for a Five minute period after the goal, but were unable to break through a solid and well drilled Robins' rearguard. Though they were indebted to Louis Smith for his smart reaction save when one-on-one, with half time approaching.

However, unfortunately they couldn’t reach the break without further damage. A hat trick goal from the lively Collins’ virtually ended the half and it seemed a long way back for Asa Hall’s men. 

Not for the first time in the evening, he had time to move into Tivvys’ area and pick his spot, after we had presented our hosts with the ball.A clearly rattled Yellows’ remained on the field for their half time team talk, as the coaching team addressed what had gone wrong in a sub-standard, opening 45 minutes. 

There were no changes to Tiverton’s line up when we kicked off following the interval, with the player’s intent on clawing their way back into the contest. They forced a string of corners and a free kick deep into the home side’s territory, a little way into the half.

From the second corner Walker rose highest as Tucker delivered and a Robins’ defender lunged across the goal line to desperately clear away. A third corner saw the same combination manifest another opportunity. 

Walker got ahead of his marker, to head goalwards, but he was impressively denied by experienced keeper Liam Kingston’s save, from point blank range. That frantic passage of play, was followed by the side’s trading possession with the Yellows’ slightly on top.

Needing a goal to hopefully spark a comeback, changes were made on the hour mark. Hall, Tucker and Walker were withdrawn; Aiden Horne, Finn Hodge and Corey Koerner were introduced. The tempo and intensity of Tivvy’s play increased almost immediately and they began to zip the ball about.

Slick link up play through the thirds, with the waspish Horne to the fore had already troubled our hosts and when Finn Hodge’s superbly weighted long range pass, saw Horne get in round the back, he expertly finished when deftly lifting the ball over Kingston in the 64th minute.

Unfortunately though their slight foothold in the match was short-lived. A rapid response and a minor lapse in concentration saw Bridgwater’s returning striker Sam Beresford supply a magnificent curling effort from the angle, that found the top corner, for the goal of the game.

Asa Halls’ team though were definitely asking more questions of their hosts and some tidy interplay resulted in the Robin’s conceding a free kick and Jagger Cane’s attempt was a good one, but dipped a little too late to threaten.

Fifteen minutes from time the players were rewarded for their bright passing and movement, when after a flowing move in the final third, Jacob Wellington was played through and he showed composure in coolly stroking home through Kingston’s legs.

That was the last action of the game for Jacob Wellington, Jagger Cane and Wylie. In the 76th minute after our second goal, they were replaced by; Owen Howe, Cole Harford and Charlie Wright.

Tivvy continued to try and set up a grandstand finish with a third goal, but in a fairly even end to proceedings, the next addition to the scoreline belonged to the Robins’, although their fifth goal did look like it required an offside flag to rule it out. 

Prolific striker Jack Taylor found himself in the clear, to secure a deserved win for Bridgwater. This left the Yellows’ coaching team with some thinking to do ahead of Saturday’s first home game of pre- Season. Brixham will be the visitors, then.

Tiverton: Smith(GK), Flowers, Walker(60), Slough, Wylie(76), Roberts, Hall(60), A Wellington, Tucker(60), J.Wellington(76), Jagger Cane(76) 

Subs: Horne(60), Hodge(60), Koerner(60), Wright(76), Howe(76), Harford(76).