Tividale FC

Report

Midland Football League

Premier Division
Saturday 4th December 2021
Tividale 0-0 Worcester City

Stalemate

After the midweek performance and win against Wolves Casuals in midweek. It was a much more upbeat squad that gathered for this fixture agains a Worcester City side now showing their true potential.

With the long term Dan Smith and Hayden Reeves our only injury concerns, Manager Dave Smith now had some difficult decisions to make and he decided to stay with the 4-3-3 formation. Bringing in Brad Welding at left back, pushing Elliott Hartley into a more attacking role and Lewis McPike on the bench along with Adam Garmson who was replaced by the returning Eshan Greer.

The game’s first half chance fell to Tividale in the 5th minute when a Hartley cross that Bustin just failed to get on the end of. On 6 minutes the game was paused as we along with other games all over the country gave a minutes applause in remebrance of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. RIP little boy.

There was no serious chances of note as both sides battled the wind and the soft surface underfoot. With the wind at their back’s the visitors looked the more threatening and reeled off a number of corners in which by and large Tividale defended comfortably. On 26 minutes Worcester created their first decent chance from open play with Billy Shaw providing Will Gibbons a pass after a maizy run, but Peter Hawk was equal to the shot. Then centre back Fortune Maphosa surged forward and beating three men before firing off a shot that was well blocked by the Tividale defence.

With half an hour gone Shaw saw his shot sail high and wide and 4 minutes later his team mate James Douglas also fired over. Tividale had a great chance on 45 minutes when from a Hartley cross Matt Hunt headed it down but Worcester defender Sam Hall hooked the ball clear

Half Time:-Tividale 0-0 Worcester City

Tividale started the second half far brighter, creating a couple of opportunities in the first 15 minutes of the half. Again Hartley involved as he drew a comfortable save from Harrison. With the wind at their backs, Tividale continued to threaten as Darragh Bustin let fly from twenty yards out. His effort moved slightly in the air but Harrison was again equal to it. With just under 20 to play, the hosts had a penalty appeal emphatically turned down by referee Forrest as the home forward went down as he cut across his defender.

As we entered the final ten minutes, the hosts had claims for a free kick questionably turned down, and they almost found themselves a goal down as well as Worcester broke, but Bailey Fuller’s effort was blocked.

After 83 minutes, a tough tackle in the middle of the park forced a stoppage, as Tividale substitute Cameron Milne was taken off on a stretcher. Having used all three subs, the hosts were forced into playing the final few minutes with ten men and were nearly punished for that as the visitors nearly won it in injury time. Played in behind, Fuller found himself in a good position in on goal, but with Hawk baring down on him. Hawk’s touch did just enough to deflect the ball away, but only into the path of Shaw. His effort was blocked as the home defence threw their bodies in front of the ball to protect their open goal.

The last chance of the game was thwarted again by Hawk, again denying Fuller. Picked out by an excellent ball out wide, Hawk raced out of his area to close the winger down. Fuller tried to pick out his supporting team mate who would have had a simple tap in but Hawk managed to get something on the ball to prevent it.

Full Time:-Tividale 0-0 Worcester City

1. Peter Hawk, 2. Tom Hurdman, 3. Brad Welding, 4. Luke Carter, 5. Dan Bryson, 6. Matt Hunt, 7. Elliott Hartley (15. Ethan Muckley 80), 8. Jason Wood (12. Cameron Milne 75), 9. Eshan Greer (14. Adam Garmson 65), 10. Darragh Bustin, 11. Curtis Cocking

Unused Subs: – 16. Joseph Burroughs 17. Lewis McPike