Tivvy Finally Rewarded For Good Form
After home disappointments in four big games, Tiverton prevailed and sent their home support home very happy, as they re-found that winning touch that had proved elusive in recent times at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium. This was achieved against the best football playing side that we have faced this season.
Back in the starting line up came Asa Hall and Matt Wood, as Aaron Wellington and Louie Slough made way. Billy Tucker joined the two aforementioned players amongst the substitutes.
An incisive early attack from the visitors a few minutes in, saw the Acorns move the ball swiftly. Louis Manning who threatened on a regular basis throughout the evening, fed forward Billy Osborn who was denied by Louis Smith who got a significant hand on his effort low down.
Then a 25 yard effort from Nathan Jenkins dropped wide of the Tivvy keeper’s post, as the Gloucester side made the early running. However there was an immediate response from the Yellows'.
An interception sprung Asa Hall’s men forward, as the influential Josh Bissett linked up with the overlapping Mason Winter. His cross into the box required an alert piece of defending. The delivery in, found Owen Howe, whose snap-shot was blocked away for a corner.
The corner, despite intense pressure from Tiverton, who had sent their big guns forward, eventually resulted in a goal-kick for the away side. Osborn then headed wide for the visitors following Manning's dangerous arrowed cross into the Tivvy area, with Ten minutes played.
Then a second big save in the 12th minute from Smith kept the game goalless. Morgan Ewing a call up for the England Under 18 schoolboy’s team surged into the area and a marvellous stop, demonstrated the agility of Tiverton’s number one, who pushed away, with the ball destined to find the net. Then he closed down Jenkins who fired over.
The Acorns maintained the upper hand. Tivvy’s main respite was coming from Bissett who was giving his marker plenty to think about, when the side were able to play the ball to him, down the visitor’s left. His skilful, quick footed, direct wing-play, with his urgency to fire in early crosses often stopping the away side from assuming total control of the game, at that point.
For a sustained period just beyond the quarter of an hour mark, the Yellows' had to withstand a tough examination from Hartpury. They were slick in possession, and but for some better end product, with shots and crosses missing their targets and some dogged defending, the team would’ve been trailing.
The storm was weathered and then attacks were traded, as both sides drove forward, in search of the game’s opener. In the 23rd minute after a probing spell of football, with Tivvy playing at a high tempo, they made steady progress in the away side’s half.
A sweeping move involving Palmer, Keates, Winter and Bissett and a subtle switch of play from Keates, ended with a Bissett carry and cross, being turned away for a corner.
The home side flooded the box and the delivery in, caused some panic in the Acorns’ area and they desperately cleared behind for another corner, following a block-header from Wood’s initial header and some last ditch defending to close down a follow up attempt.
The second corner though was a little too deep and the game restarted with a goal-kick. However, Hartpury were soon back in the ascendancy and a flowing move full of crisp passing and excellent movement, just lacked the finishing touches, with a dipping cross evading onrushing opposing players.
Although second best, just prior to the interval, Tiverton exerted some serious pressure on the Gloucestershire side’s goal. J. Wellington and Bissett embarked on a couple of pacy and purposeful runs to regain some momentum and forced the visitor’s back. A long throw was headed away for a corner.
Matt Wood’s header from the second phase of that corner, produced a strong save from keeper Seth Locke and a second corner was only half dealt with by the Acorns, as bodies on the line denied Tivvy from close quarters. Howe, who had seen an effort blocked moments earlier, let fly from just inside the area, as he lashed emphatically home into the top of the net, with a strike of real quality.
The side have kept plugging away and there was a sense of déjà vous, because it had been the away team asking most of the questions and felt like a reversal of fortunes, as the elusive first half lead was now a distinct possibility, following that 41st minute goal. And indeed the Yellows’ ended the half, ahead.
When the game resumed, Tiverton came out in determined fashion and a scintillating team goal doubled their advantage. The ball was rolled to Bissett who was hugging the touchline, a little inside Hartpury’s half. Committing a couple of defenders, he got to the by-line, drifted round another and cut the ball across to Howe whose adept dummy left the advanced Keates to finish from point blank range. 2-0.
That 47th minute goal saw the visitors intensify their efforts and goalscorer Keates limp out of the action with a dead-leg. The combative Jack Kennell was his replacement, but when Horne tackling back was adjudged to have committed a foul, the free kick was lined up in a dangerous spot.
A low left footed curler in the 55th minute from Hartpury’s Kian Davies nestled in the corner and suddenly it felt tense again. Shortly afterwards Corey Koerner was introduced, with Finn Roberts being the man to make way.
J.Wellington’s mazy solo run required a last-ditch intervention to stop him from bursting into the area with less than half an hour left and with a good press from the busy Horne, saw the keeper hurried into conceding a corner in the 64th minute. Asa Hall’s men now had the bit between their teeth and from the corner, a good double save was needed from Locke.
Horne was replaced by Aaron Wellington shortly afterwards and with both teams realising the importance of the next goal, the pursuit of it saw the game open up. Fortunately for the Yellows', the Acorn’s bright build up play often ended with deliveries in, not finding their intended destination’s.
Then our two centre backs combined to give us some breathing space at the other end of the pitch. A trip on A. Wellington saw a free kick awarded down Hartpury’s right. Bissett’s ball to the back post found Palmer, who cushioned the ball across to Wood and he headed powerfully beyond Locke, giving him no chance to save. 3-1
With less than ten minutes left on the clock, more enterprising wing craft from Bissett, bamboozled his marker and despite his protests the mistimed tackle on Bissett earned the Hartpury player a Yellow card. The former Mousehole Wideman had been a real thorn in the Acorns’ side.
The visitors began to push more men forward as they tried in vain to reel Tivvy in. Smith and his defence though weren’t giving this one up and despite a few nervy moments and the keeper having to make a decent save, there was plenty of resilience in Asa Hall’s men's display, that bodes well for the future.
Billy Tucker and Louie Slough were late substitutes and there was some clever retention of the ball from the former, as the game was seen out and managed well by the players. Team spirit hasn’t been lacking, but a clinical edge has been and against the best footballing side we have played, both were needed to get us over the line.
On Saturday we make the journey to Dorset, where we will face Shaftesbury. The Rockies will be smarting from a 3-1 loss at Sporting Club Inkberrow last time out and we will looking to build on Tuesday night’s success. This all points to a fascinating encounter, next Saturday.
Tiverton: Smith(GK), Winter, Palmer(C), Wood, Hall, Roberts(57), Keates(52), J.Wellington, Bissett(87), Horne(66), Howe(90+1)
Subs: Koerner(57), A Wellington(66), Tucker(87), Kennell(52), Slough(90+1)
Tiverton Town 3
Howe 41 Keates 47 Wood 71
Hartpury 1
Davies 55
