Tividale FC

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 14th September 2024
Tividale 2-4 Brocton

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Once again Tividale played well and led, but again fall to defeat, punished for a number of missed chances and switching off at vital times.

Phil Rann made just the two changes from the game against 1874 Northwich. Back came Eddie Rann after injury and Mohammed Sahil Sajad in place of Luke Postle and Callum Lloyd.

It was Tividale that started on the front foot. In the 3rd minute, Ethan Delany was blocked by Josh Simcox, in what was to become a recurring theme for the first quarter of the game. A minute later, Delany’s shot was blocked by Kenny Devoir for a corner. Brocton’s first sight of goal came courtesy of a Will Wheldon cross which picked out Regan Smith, and his shot was deflected past the post. Brocton went close to opening the scoring in the 9th minute. Smith whipped in a cross and Christian Blanchette’s diving header was inches wide.

However, it was the home side that opened the scoring in the 16th minute. An attempted back pass by Devoir was much too short for Tony Allsopp. It was latched onto by Ryan Piggott who calmly slid the ball home. The goal knocked Brocton back and they struggled to gain any ascendancy. A cross into the Tividale box saw claims for handball waved away by the referee.

On the half hour, a free kick from Wheldon was headed wide by Connor Haddaway. Brocton were inches away from an equaliser in the 37th minute. Connor Haddaway picked out Blanchette with a cross, and his effort, under pressure from the defender, trickled agonisingly wide of the post. Brocton were now building some momentum and a driving run from Ben Haddaway ended with a low shot which was well saved by Ethan Hawkes. In stoppage time, a free-kick routine failed to work but Wheldon’s hooked cross was headed wide by Blanchette.

Tividale had a great chance to double their lead less than a minute into the second half. Lewis Derrick created space, but his shot sailed over Allsopp’s cross bar.

The half time break had obviously been beneficial to the home side as Jordon Sangha had a chance, shooting wide from a good position. Simcox hit a clearance against Delany whose shot was deflected for a corner. In the 52nd minute, Blanchette and Wheldon exchanged a number of passes, with Wheldon taking too much time and finding his shot blocked. From the corner taken by Connor Haddaway, Ben Haddaway met the ball at the far post and his header came off a defender and cannoned off the post. Brocton were now in complete control. Tom Vaughan raced forward, and his shot was deflected for another Brocton corner. Connor Haddaway’s delivery was again met by brother Ben whose header was blocked by the defence. Brocton kept up the pressure. When Wheldon was felled on the edge of the box, Smith’s free kick was inches wide.

A cross from Wheldon picked out Blanchette at the far post but he failed to gain control and the chance went begging. In the 63rd minute, Wheldon hit a free kick which forced a superb save from Hawkes. Brocton were not to be denied, and they were level in the 66th minute. Excellent work from Jake Thomas created a chance for Smith and Brocton’s leading scorer hammered the ball into the far corner giving Hawkes no chance. A minute later, Blanchette ran through only to be halted by an excellent challenge from Harry Higginson. Tividale shocked Brocton by retaking the lead in the 69th minute. Poor defending allowed Delany to find Alfie Higgs, and he beat his defender to shoot past Allsopp.

In the 78th minute, Seb Conaghan battled hard to maintain possession and send Smith clear. Smith needed no second invitation as he despatched his second of the game. Two minutes later, the same scenario ended with the same result. Conaghan maintaining possession finding Smith who fired low into the bottom corner. Back came Tividale and a run and cross from Delany was just out of the reach of Piggott at the far post. Brocton sealed all 3 points in the 88th minute. Conaghan again found Smith and his vicious shot was saved by Hawkes with Conaghan on hand to tap home the rebound. Brocton kept their foot on the gas and could have added more, the most notable chance when Thomas found Blanchette in space, but his shot curled high and wide over the bar.

Tividale: 1. Ethan Hawkes, 2. Tom Rann (16. Deandre Davis 84), 3. Papy Brandon Mossini, 4. Eddie Rann (14. Aon Mohammed Abbas 65), 5. Harry Higginson, 6. Mohammad Sahil Sajad, 7. Ethan Delany, 8. Jordon Sangha, 9. Ryan Pigott, 10. Lewis Derrick (12. Michael Agyemang 61), 11. Alfie Higgs.

Unused Subs: 15. Raheem Akhtar, 17. Jevani Robinson