THE FACTS
Midland Football League
Premier Division
Tividale FC v Lye Town
Monday 26th August 2019
Kick off at 3:00pm
No disrespect to the West Midland Regional League but these are the games you look forward to Bank Holiday Monday’s at The Beeches. Oh, and the opposition helps as well.
It’s been all change at our rival’s Lye Town as ex Tividale manager Dean Whitehouse is now the ‘Boss’ down at The Sports Ground having arrived from Dudley Town. It’s been a difficult start for the Lye not only has Dean had to deal with a mass turnover in the staff and squad. Something that often happens at this level when a new manager steps in. But they also have the situation every season where they cannot play a home game until the middle of September because they share their ground with the local cricket team.
If our multiple meeting’s with Dudley Town last season are anything to go by, this is going to be another game that will be to tight to call.
THE HISTORY
The last time we were in the Midland Football League the 2016-2017 season, we also met each other on the August Bank Holiday Monday and our visitors ran out deserved 2-0 winners against a young Tividale side that included a baby faced Tom Hurdman that the then new manager Dave King had just started to assemble. Jack Pearlman scored both the Lye goals.
The return game on Boxing Day ended with another Lye win but a much better Tividale performance. By this time King had added Darragh Bustin, Karl Gardner, Dan Smith and Lewis Probert (first time round) to his squad. Tividale went ahead when Lewis McPike scored from the spot. But goal’s from Ben Billingham and Scott Gerrard turned the game on it’s head.
Last season (2018-2019) was the next time the two sides met in the JW Hunt Cup. And this was a cracker. Lye took the lead through ex Tividale midfielder Joe Lawley but Ben Birch equalised for Tividale before half time. Lawley put the visitors back in front straight after the break. Dan Smith brought Tividale level before a Brad Welding free kick sent the home side through.
THE LAST 6 GAMES LEAGUE FORM
Tividale – WWLWWD
Lye Town – WLLDLL
THE SQUAD NEWS
With goalkeeper Ryan Cheshire unavailable it is good to have Louis Connor back fit. Luke Carter, Jake Webb and Dan Smith are also unavailable for this game
THE SPECTATOR DETAILS
Tividale FC
THE BEECHES
Packwood Road,
Tividale,
B69 1UL.
Admission Prices Adults £5,
Concessions £3 (Over 65’s, Members, Students
and ALL local Season ticket holders)
Under 12’s Free (with a paying Adult)
Match programme £1:50