Tividale FC

Report

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 28th January 2023
Studley 0-0 Tividale
Studley Stalemate

An example of things to come at Tividale. In our last game, the 3-0 defeat at Stourport. The average age of Tividale’s starting 11 was 26. Three weeks later away at Studley, it was 22. Including two 18 year olds, three 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old in the match day squad.

With Taylor Townsend, Matt Hunt, Curtis Cocking and Jack Downing leaving the club (and we wish them all well in their new ventures) A major revamp of the squad was required and credit to Dave, Stuart, Rich, Gard’s and Wayne they took it as a challenge and identified young talent they felt they could work with and improve. So, arriving at The Beeches was midfielder Harry Lewis on loan from Stourbridge. Forwards Alfie Higgs and Arman Khoshkhoo from Gornal Athletic and Sporting Khalsa respectively and wide man Fortune Sibanda who was previously with Bromsgrove Sporting.

Tividale had the first decent chance of the game after 11 minutes when a Ryan Snape shot was blocked and rolled out for a Tividale corner, that came to nothing. 5 minutes later and Dan Smith just failed to get on the end of a David Solademi through ball and Studley defender Joe Hawkins got back to clear.

The home side had the chance of the game in the 22nd minute when a Sam Jackson cross was met by Sean Brown on the penalty spot and his half volley had goal written all over it but for an amazing save by Tividale keeper Peter Hawk.

Jakob Burroughs will feel he should have at least worked Studley keeper Brendan Bunn when he got up to a Harry Lewis cross but he headed wide.

Tividale had a number of chances in the closing minutes of the half with Bunn equal to a Dan Smith shot, parrying it over his bar. From the corner Ryan Snape saw his shot blocked and the ball fell to Jason Wood, but he also could not beat Bunn who turned it out for a corner in the last action of the half.

Half Time:-Studley 0-0 Tividale

Tividale had the first decent chance of the second period with a training ground move. Malcolm Melvin’s short corner to Snape on the edge of the box but he could not keep his shot down and it cleared the bar. Snape went even closer on the hour mark when he skimmed the cross bar after ghosting in at the back post. Studley striker Brain then had an effort that took a deflection that helped Hawk’s save very comfortable.

With 20 minutes to go Solademi again put in Smith but again the Tividale forward failed to get the ball under control and failed to get a off a shot. A minute later and Hill was through but again the Studley defence dealt with it. With 12 minutes to go Jakob Burroughs shot well wide.

As the game moved into the last 10 minutes Studley stepped up the pressure and Studley substitute Finn Newell nearly caught Hawk out with a cross come shot that he had to scramble back and touch over his cross bar.

Deep into injury time Tividale’s Wood received his second yellow card when he abruptly put an end to an attempted Studley counterattack with a foul known in the game as “taking one for the team”.

Studley had the last chance of the game when Liam Baker tried his luck from distance but again it never looked like troubling Hawk.

Full Time:- Studley 0-0 Tividale

Tividale: – 1. Peter Hawk, 2. Jack Fletcher (15. Fortune Sibanda 93), 3. David Solademi, 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Zac Kourouyianni, 6. Joe Burroughs, 17. Ryan Snape (12. Nashawn Blake 81), 8. Jason Wood, 9. Dan Smith (14. Arman Khoshkhoo 73), 10. Malcolm Melvin, 11. Harry Lewis.

Subs: – 13. Louis Connor, 16. Ashley Oliver