TIVERTON 0 - 3 FARNHAM

Match Report

Saturday April 25th

At The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium

Tiverton Town 0

Farnham Town 3

Taylor 12 Murphy 15 

Evans 90+1

Att: 

Tiverton's last game in Southern League Premier South ended in a 3-0 reverse to Runners Up Farnham. A result securing that league placing and meaning that the Surrey side will be in the prime Play Off position, when the Semi finals begin on Wednesday.

A decent atmosphere provided the backdrop for this end of season game played under blue skies and in sparkling sunshine. 

In mainly losing cause’s, it is testament to our supporters for their loyal and excellent backing for the team throughout the campaign, none more so than the die- hard contingent behind the goal. They were in full voice again and have been, come rain or come shine.

Asa Hall and his management team’s eleven was unchanged from the side picked on Tuesday evening against Gosport. There was a different appearance to the bench though, with Plymouth loanees Fletcher Poole and Sam Lord back available.

Brooklyn Wilkins was only deemed fit enough to join them there and Aiden Horne's injury meaning, he wasn't named. Douglas Camillo and George Collins were also amongst the replacements, with two goal Charlie Wright alongside Karim Coulibaly up top.

Karim Coulibaly (Viv Curtis)

Two early chances if taken, could have put a different complexion on the game. When Gabe Billington played Jacob Wellington in, with four minutes gone, he wasn't able to get a decisive touch from close quarters on the ball and Michael Eacott in the Farnham goal was able to gather.

Then in the 7th minute Karim Coulibaly took advantage of indecision in the visitor's backline and found himself one-on-one with the keeper . His attempt from point blank range was blocked away by Eacott's legs and Charlie Wright following up, fired into the side-netting.

The away side though were more clinical and despite the Yellows’ matching their higher opponents in terms of possession and approach play, we were behind in the 12th minute. The Yellows’ retreated and afforded ex Dorking Wanderer's wide man Bobby-Joe Taylor, room to drive and he curled impressively beyond Marko Radovanovic from 20 yards out.

As has happened so many times this season, one goal quickly became two. However, it wasn't as conclusive as the opener. From a short corner routine Taylor floated the ball over and found Rhys Murphy's head. At first glance, it appeared that Radovanovic had kept the ball out by his post. The Linesman thought otherwise though and the high flyers extended their lead.

Both sides were finding their passes in a very watchable first half. A flowing passage of play from Asa Hall's men with around 18 minutes played, culminated in Wright's mazy run through a posse of visiting players, ending with him bending a shot that dipped marginally too late, to find its way into the top corner.

The away side then outlined their promotion credentials with a dominant period of football. Matt Mackenzie volleyed over shortly after Wright's attempt, as a result of good link up play from Murphy and the creative Darryl Sanders. Sanders himself took aim moments later and his effort accelerated off the turf and flashed past the post. 

Toby Stephens similarly to Wright glided past a few Farnham challenges, but was unable to offload his shot, as he was crucially tackled in the nick of time.

The game then became a little less end-to-end and a bit more cagey, as a lot of the action took place in the middle third. With half time refreshments about to be poured, the visitors’ found the net for a third time, though celebrations were quickly muted by the raising of an offside flag.

2-0 at half time then and perhaps if we had converted those early chances, the scoreline would have looked a little different. Although this was an attractive game of football with the Yellows’ display very encouraging and full of bright interplay.

A good block on Adam Liddle's goalbound shot was the first real action of the concluding period. That came in the 52nd minute and resulted in a corner, which Tiverton defended well.

Then, a handful of minutes later Steve Orchard and David Steele made their first changes of the afternoon. Wright who had once again displayed very good potential, making way for Fletcher Poole.

Fletcher Poole's jinking run then forced a corner around the hour mark, but Tivvy were unable to breach Farnham's defensive unit.  The away side regained control of the ball and started to build again, with the sun beating down at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium.

Poole was at it again in the 65th minute. At the end of a marauding run down the visitors' left, he looked up and found the advancing Asa Hall. A cultured piece of footwork from the player-manager fooled his marker and bought him some space, before he unleashed a stinging shot which was palmed onto the top of the bar by Eacott, the ex-Bracknell man.

There had been a procession of substitutions in the second half from the Surrey side, as they had one eye clearly on their play off semi final. Tiverton made a change themselves when Coulibaly, who had been in the thick of the action, was replaced by Sam Lord. What a breakout season for the young England Colleges player this has been!

The game was open at this point in the proceedings. Both sides were probing and keeping the ball nicely through the thirds. Poole's bright cameo though unfortunately ended after being on the pitch for less than a quarter of an hour, due to a minor head injury and he was withdrawn as a precaution, Camillo was his replacement.

A Fifth substitution from the visitors saw Sam Evans come on for the classy Seb Bowerman. They had a good opportunity in the 78th minute to work Radovanovic in the Tivvy goal, from a free kick around 20 yards out. Bobby-Joe Taylor's attempt though was comfortable for the Australian.

Radovanovic though was required to make a vital stop a few minutes later, denying Owen Dean who had been played through and produced a strong parry. However, a little way into added time Farnham added a third goal. Taylor squared to Evans, who stroked home.

The season finishing with a 3-0 home defeat to a strong Farnham outfit and the Yellows’ giving a good account of themselves, with Liam Cartwright particularly impressive. Much will be deliberated on and a lot of planning will now take place on and off the field, ahead of the 2026/27 season.

I would like to thank the media team and the executive committee for their support, but after 108 previews/match reports, It's time to sign off. Have a good summer everyone and see you in the pre- season.

Tiverton: Radovanovic(gk), Koerner, Wood(c), Cartwright, Kennell, Hall, Billington, Stephens, Wellington, Coulibaly, Wright

Subs: Poole, Lord, Camillo, Collins, Wilkins