Yeovil Loanee Biss Shines in Defeat to Hawks

Match Report

Tuesday March 3rd

At The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium

Tiverton Town 0

Havant & Waterlooville 2

Seager 30  Thorpe 83

Att:157

Darren Holmes 

It wasn't as though Havant & Waterlooville dominated, but they always seemed to have the edge in this one. Experience which brings knowhow and game management and additional physicality were all too apparent and telling in this Tuesday night encounter.

There was a full debut for young Yeovil loanee defender, Jaydon Biss and Zack William's was also a midfield starter. Player-manager Asa Hall returned after illness and took a centre back slot. Dropping to the bench from Saturday's loss at Berkhamsted were; Matt Wood and Karim Coulibaly, Toby Stephen's was unavailable.

Serial goalscorer Ryan Seager was named in the Hawk's Eleven, who were looking to get their late play off push back on track, following defeat at Uxbridge. The Yellow's had lost by the odd goal in Hampshire against the same opposition Ten days before this game.

The visitor's settled first and nearly took the lead, just minutes into the game. A goal line clearance from Corey Koerner coming to Tiverton's rescue. Another smart intervention from Koerner again, winger Leon Maloney firing over and Jaydon Biss putting himself between ball and man, before shepherding and then clearing away to safety, meant we survived an early onslaught.

After a slightly worrying opening Ten minutes, the Yellows’ established more of a foothold in the game and started to move the ball fluently through the Third's. In the 12th minute Horne's determination and energy won the ball high up the pitch and he played it through to Collin’s who couldn't quite get a goalbound shot off and a block tackle ended his progress.

A quickly taken free kick from Corey Koerner almost caught our Opponent's out, deflecting behind for a corner, less than a minute later. 

However, because of what was thought to be the imminent landing of an Air Ambulance to airlift someone to hospital, play stopped for around Seven minutes. The match, because of a change of plan with the Air Ambulance having landed at a close by venue, restarted, though all thoughts at the ground were with those involved in the incident.

The first thing our visitor's had to do on the restart of the game, was defend a Tivvy throw in over by the corner flag and in the crowd scene that ensued, Asa Hall's attempt was closed down by a Hawk's defender.

On 27 minutes the influential Maloney filtered the ball through to Dan Fosu. Fosu made good contact on the ball when he shot goalward’s, but John Ross’s flying save denied him and then Toby Down headed behind to concede a corner.

On the half hour mark, Havant & Waterlooville scored. A Tiverton attack was snuffed out and the Hawk's broke and two precise passes later, Ryan Seager shifted the ball away from his marker and expertly found the bottom corner from just inside the Tiverton area.

It took the Yellows’ a while to respond and it was a piece of quality from Hall that sent Zack William's away with a superbly weighted pass. His weaving run that committed visiting defenders’, ended With him driving a speculative pass across the face of goal. Unfortunately it just eluded the onrushing Tivvy player's, in the box.

A strong passage of play from the Hampshire side then followed, as they swept forward with some intricate passing movement's. Central defender's Down and Hall both making vital clearances with the Hawk's threatening. 

The impressively, composed Biss then produced a last- ditch tackle which prevented an almost certain second goal. Asa Hall's side then constructed a move through the team, where neat passes were exchanged and this culminated with a desperate block stopping Billington's powerful effort, just prior to the Referee deciding how much time was to be added on.

Seven additional minutes were held up on the board, after the Air Ambulance stoppage and Collin's very nearly got his shot away when getting in behind during the extended period, but pressure on him forced the ball out of his control. Havant & Waterlooville holding the advantage at the end of the half.

An important foot race was won by Toby Down, a couple of minutes into the closing 45. Tiverton's captain getting there ahead of the scarily prolific Seager. In the first half he notched his 33rd goal in all competitions of the season, so the sight of Down firstly retrieving the ball and then taking it away from him, was a mighty relief.

However, a nifty piece of footwork from the busy Aiden Horne in the 51st minute brought about a mistimed tackle as the striker tricked his way into the box. When the penalty was correctly awarded, everybody was aware of the enormity of this moment. 

Up stepped Horne himself. He connected well with his spot Kick, but the vastly experience former National League keeper Ben Dudzinski left it to the very last second to move fractionally the wrong way and adjusted to make the save with his feet, when Horne chose to put it the other side of the goal.

This could have had a numbing effect on the side, but still the Yellows’ kept plugging away to get back on an even keel. Jaydon Biss who had looked accomplished in his first start, then showed good ability in carrying the ball deep into the Hawk's territory. 

He twisted and turned past a Havant & Waterlooville midfielder, prior to sending an inviting and accurate long pass to Collins. The young centre forward's header from close range provoked an excellent reaction stop from Dudzinski, who pushed his header over, just short of the hour mark.

The Hawk's then had a strong attacking spell. Forcing a string of Four successive corner's and intense pressure required desperate and dogged defending to hold them at bay. A physical advantage from the away side was hugely evident.

In the 70th minute some assured handling from Ross eased the strain of persistent foray's into our area. Steve Orchard and David Steele then made a like-for-like substitution. Another decent showing from Collin's came to an end and fellow centre forward Ryan Crawford entered proceedings in the 75th minute.

With Ten minutes of normal time left on the clock, Biss made a very necessary block to clear his lines at the near post and then Down made a last-ditch excellently timed challenge inside the box, with the strong contingent of away fan's calling for a penalty.

A second goal for the visitor's had been likely for a large chunk of the half and from a further corner a melee of Hawks’ Players forcefully invaded the Yellows’ six yard box. About Four Players ended in the back of the net, but significantly so did the ball, with midfielder Harry Thorpe bundling home, a Leon Maloney delivery, that was flicked on by Brendan Willson.

83 minutes had elapsed at that point and any hope of the Yellows’ taking anything away from this game had been extinguished. A late consolation almost arrived, just before we entered time added on, when a free kick out wide inadvertently found it's way to Koerner, but rearguard action saw his shot closed down.

2-0 to the away side was the final result and despite a hardworking display, Havant and Waterlooville ran out worthy winners’. They Celebrated with their very vocal supporters’ who were a credit to their club.

The games keep coming thick and fast for Tiverton. One of many fixtures still to play on home soil will take place on Saturday, when a few recently departed players will be in the away dressing room. Let's get behind the lad's for the visit of Weymouth.

Tiverton: Ross(gk), Biss, Hall, Down, Koerner, Billington, Kennell, William's, Wellington, Horne, Collins(75)

Subs: Wilkins, Wood, Coulibaly, Crawford(75), Jordan