Tividale FC

Report

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Tuesday 13^th September 2022
Racing Club Warwick 1-2 Tividale

Tividale are back at the Racer’s

On the back of a great performance against Lichfield that resulted in us still coming away with nothing, we did not really want a two-week break. But with FA Cup weekend and the passing away of her Majesty the Queen there was nothing we could do about it.

The plus side to the break saw the return of many of the holiday makers, banned and some of the injured. There where returns to the starting line-up for Brad Welding and Taylor Townsend also, a debut for weekend signing Jack Downing. With Welding in at his customary left back Zac Kourouyianni switched too right back and young Cameron East dropped to the bench. Townsend and Downing were straight swaps for Ryan Snape and Dean Fisher.

The Racer’s definitely lived up their name in the opening salvo’s and created two great chances in the first 8 minutes. The first on 6 minutes after some great work by the Racers Dylan Parker played in Josh Parsons who in turn found Josh Steele down the Racer’s left and though his cross was met by Parker who started the move, but the forward could not get his shot on target. The second came 2 minutes later, again well worked this time by Sam Hancocks but this time Parker headed his cross headed wide. Tividale were in danger of being overrun down their right and the over worked Kourouyianni received a caution.

The visitors first sight of the Racer’s goal came in the 20^th minute with a Townsend corner that skipper Curtis Cocking headed wide. Tividale were still having trouble with down their right and across in the 26th minute was turned away for a corner by Louis Ezewele and the corner came to nothing.

There was now a period when Tividale were getting a foothold into the game and the game became a more open affair. But the Racers were still creating the better chances and in the 40^th minute a Josh Parsons free kick was somehow sent back over the visitors crossbar. Goalkeeper Hawk went up to punch it but it looked to come off a defender, anyway a corner was awarded.

Tividale’s best chance of the half came in the 42^nd minute, when Dan Smith pounced on a weak Racers pass but he could not steer his shot wide of Racer’s keeper Dan Crane. On the stroke of half time The Racer’s had one last chance. Right back Chris Mayuba cut in from the bye line, found Parker with a neat pass but the forward’s shot went straight into Hawk’s midriff.

Half Time: Racing Club Warwick 0-0 Tividale

After the lack of goals in the first half the second period soon burst into life. From a Downing ball across the Racers penalty area Kourouyianni just got in front of Racers defender Jamal Clarke and went down, with the referee pointing immediately to the spot. Smith stepped up to take it and Crane made a great stop but could not deny Smith with the rebound and Tividale were 1-0 up in the 50^th minute.

The home side were denied in the 58^th minute when a Clarke header was cleared off the line by Tividale’s Malcolm Melvin. But they levelled on 70 minutes with just lets say the 2^nd soft penalty of the game. Mayuba going down in the vicinity of Welding and Parsons made no mistake from the spot, sending Hawk the wrong way.

Tividale where back in front 5 minutes later when substitute Jack Fletcher headed on a loose ball into the path of Downing and the front runner calmly lofted the ball past Crane and into the net. Fellow substitute Alex Cameron could have put the game to bed in the 83^rd minute when he forced a Racer’s defensive mistake but he shot across the face of Crane’s goal.

The last few minutes and what seemed like endless injury time had the Racer’s pressing for the equalising goal but despite giving up a fair amount of possession Tividale held their nerve and picked up a valuable three points on the road.

Full Time: Racing Club Warwick 1-2 Tividale

Tividale: – 1. Peter Hawk, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3. Brad Welding (14. Cameron East 90), 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Joe Burroughs, 6. Louis Ezewele, 7. Taylor Townsend (15. Ryan Snape 87), 8. Curtis Cocking, 9. Dan Smith (12. Alex Cameron 72), 10. Jack Downing 11. Malcolm Melvin (17 Jack Fletcher 66)

Unused Sub: None