Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 9th April 2022
Walsall Wood 2-0 Tividale

Groundhog Day

Tividale’s woes continued as Walsall Wood mirrored their result 4 days ago with another 2-0 win. Tividale’s poor run now reads 5 defeats and a draw in their last 6 games. The last four games all defeats and only one goal scored in those 4 games.

We have never been a free scoring team but we have always prided ourselves with our goals conceded record. And even in this run there is no let up on the work rate of the lad’s. It’s just that they cannot catch a break.

Manager Dave King’s team selection was again dictated by unavailability. With a very small squad, Dan Smith suspended, Dan Bryson injured, Luke Carter covid and Jason Wood having to work was always going to be a body blow. But Joe Burroughs and 16 year old Owen Waterfield had the chance to get a start.

Tividale’s issues in front of goal was summed up in the first goal action of the game after just 4 minutes. Some great work down the Tividale right by Darragh Bustin and he cut the ball back into the path of Ethan Muckley but from just outside the 6 yard box Muckley failed to get a decent contact on the ball and Wood keeper Callum Smith collected the ball as it rolled to him. Then a whipped in Brad Welding cross from the left just evaded both Muckley and Bustin in the area.

The Wood were now warming to the task and on 20 minutes Maxin Zeuloveot found Stuart Hendrie but he skied his effort. The game was fairly even for most of the half but neither side could create that decisive opening and it was’nt until the 40th minute before The Wood created the next good chance when from a throw Zeuloveot fired a shot that was heading for goal but Tividale captain Matt Hunt got his body in the way and it was deflected for a corner.

Deep into first half stoppage time Zeuloveot was again in the the thick of the action when his shot was scrambled away but the ball ran into the path of Hendrie who hit the post with his effort and Hunt cleared

Half Time Walsall Wood 0-0 Tividale

The second period was only 45 seconds old when the home side took the lead. From a corner Tividale cleared the ball to the edge of their box and Mitchell Tolley took one touch and then smashed the ball past Cconnor and into the back of the net.

The Wood should have doubled their lead on 50 minutes when a Zeuloveot cross was headed wide by Adam McGurk and minute later Jai Verma’s cross found Hendrie but he in turn fired over the bar. On 57 minutes McGurk had another chance to extend the lead as the home side exerted more  pressure on the Tividale back line, but he could not find the target with his shot and it flashed wide of Connor’s post.

While Wood were looking threatening. Tividale were struggling to get a decent opening against a solid looking Wood defence and it wasn’t until the 78th minute when they had their first real chance of the half when Elliott Hartley was put through but his shot took a deflection and flew wide. This a minute after Wood had another chance to extend their lead when Zeuloveot was put though one on one with Connor but blazed over.

It was the 92nd minute of the game when Wood did get the second goal. Connor pulled off a fine stop to deny Wood sub sam Unitt but the ball bounced up in the 6 yard box and Verma was the first to react and nodded the ball home at the back post. Giving Walsall Wood a second 2-0 win over Tividale within 5 days.

Tividale: – 1. Louis Connor, 2. Tom Hurdman 3. Brad Welding, 4. Darragh Bustin 5. Joe Burroughs 6. Matt Hunt, 7. Lewis McPike, 8. Curtis Cocking, 9. Ethan Muckley (14. TJ Munthali 81), 10. Owen Waterfield (12. Lucas Muckley 55), 11. Elliott Hartley

Unused Subs: – 13. Peter Hawk

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Tuesday 29th March 2022
Wolverhampton Casuals 4-1 Tividale

It’s oh so Casual for Wolves

Tividale’s current form continued to go south as they suffered a second successive defeat. This time at the hands of Wolves Casuals. Yet for the first 30 minutes no one could have seen this result coming.

With Lewis McPike unavailable Ethan Muckley was brought back into the starting eleven. The other change to the personnel was Peter Hawk back in between the stick’s in place of Louis Connor. On the bench Dan Bryson was out injured but Brad Welding was back in the squad and on the bench after his 4-match holiday.

As mentioned previously it was a very good and if anything, the visitors had the better of the chances in the first 30 minutes and Tividale had taken the lead after just 4 minutes when a Hawk clearance was helped on by Curtis Cocking to Dan Smith and the striker beat Casuals keeper Jake Daniels with a crisp finish.

Casuals may feel a little aggrieved when forward Ronan Sheehan looked to have gone down under a Hawk challenge after 18 minutes but the man in the middle waived play on. Smith then whipped in a brilliant cross on 20 minutes that Muckley just could not get a touch too. Six minutes later Smith was again the provider’ This time finding Darragh Bustin with a pull back from the bye line, but Bustin could not keep his shot down. On the half hour Sheehan then went on a mazy run from one side of the pitch to the other but his resulting shot was gathered comfortably by Hawk.

In the 32nd minute the scores were level when Tividale failed to clear a Casuals left wing cross and Josh Hesson unmarked from 6 yards out fired home. The home side went close to taking the lead after 34 minutes when a Tom Cole free kick was struck into the side netting. On 41 minutes they were in front and beginning to boss the game. Tividale skipper Matt Hunt turning a Sheehan right wing cross past Hawk and into his own net.

Sheehan again created another chance a couple of minutes before the break when he found Hesson but the forward was unable to get his second goal with the chance ending with the ball going into the side netting.

Half Time Wolverhampton Casuals 2-1 Tividale

The first half had some robust challenges in it and the second half saw no let up. Bustin had the first decent chance of the second period when he worked himself into a shooting position but his shot lacked the power to worry Daniel and the keeper collected with no worries. Casuals were now well in control and Hawk did well to deny Cole in the 58th minute.

The game was over as a contest with 13 minutes to go. First on 70 minutes Tividale’s Smith was shown a straight red card for a challenge that was classed as serious foul play. Then 7 minutes later a direct Musa Ceesay free kick flew past Hawk and into the net to make the score 3-1.

Casuals were now making a mockery of their lowly position and threatened to run away with the scoring as Tividale were now in all defend mode and on 82 minutes the home side added a 4th. With Hesson grabbing his second tap of the night in after a right-wing cross. Hawk did well to keep Casuals from getting a 5th with a flying save in the 88th save to deny Roger Bosio.

Full Time Wolverhampton Casuals 4-1 Tividale

Tividale: – 1. Peter Hawk, 2. Tom Hurdman 3. Elliott Hartley, 4. Luke Carter (14 Joe Burroughs 82), 5. Lucas Muckley (15 Brad Welding 82), 6. Matt Hunt, 7. Jason Wood, 8. Curtis Cocking, 9. Dan Smith, 10. Ethan Muckley (12. Owen Waterfield 82), 11. Darragh Bustin.

Unused Subs: – 13. Louis Connor

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 26th March 2022
Tividale 2-2 Racing Club Warwick

Tividale Not At The Races

After last week’s escape with a point. The hope was for better this week. Unfortunately, The Racer’s took no heed of the script and in the end ran out comfortable winners as once again the home side failed to threaten.

Manager Dave King shuffled the pack again. With Dan Bryson running late, Lucas Muckley was moved to centre back. Darragh Bustin dropped in at left back and Jason Wood came into Bustin’s midfield position.

The first chance of the game fell to Warwick after just 2 minutes with the forward finding himself unmarked in the centre of the box, unfortunately the ball was a little bit under his feet, he did manage to dig an effort out, however he was unable to generate any power and it was comfortable for Louis Connor in the Tividale goal. 8 minutes is all it took for the ref to get his cards out in this game with a booking to Warwick after a slightly late challenge in the middle of the park it was one of those where the ball was off the ground and both players were genuinely going for the ball, however the studs of the Warwick defender made contact with the ankle of the Tividale forward. Just 2 minutes later Tividale had their first effort of the game Luke Carter woth an effort from distance which was comfortable for for the Warwick keeper. Warwick managed to split the Tividale defence on 16 minutes when the forward chased down a flick on but the defender managed to recover to muscle the forward out of it and the ball rolled through to Connor. Daragh Bustin lined up a freekick for Tividale just in the edge of the box on 31 minutes, his effort forcing the Warwick keeper into a good save down to his left. Warwick then went straight down the other end and a half volley was sent well over the bar from the corner of the box. In the 34th minute Warwick tried to cath Tividale on the break Tom Hurdman tracks back and manages to get a deflection on the shot which wrong footted Louis Connor in the Tividale goal but fortunately it went behind for a corner to Warwick. 4 minutes later Warwick caught Tividale on the counter again with the forward spinning the defender and bearing down on the Tividale goal he unleashed a powerful effort which is just off target, a few including myself thought it had gone in. Just a minute later Warwick had another chance to take the lead as the ball was crossed into the box the forward managed to get himself free but completely missed the ball for what would have been a certain goal, it went behind for a Tividale goalkick. 31 minutes Tividale with a freekick just inside the Warwick half it’s played deep into the Warwick box and a header is sent well wide of the goal. The deadlock was eventually broken on 39 minutes as Warwick took a long throw unot the Tividale box which was flicked in at the near post, Josh Parsons found himself completely free just outside the 6 yard box and he side footed one past a helpless Louis Connor in the Tividale goal. Warwick came close to extending their lead on 45 minutes as Louis Connor had to keep his eye on a looping header from a Warwick freekick the Tividale stopper did well and collected it underneath his crossbar. Tividale had the final shot of the half, the effort summed up their half as it was way off the mark.

Half Time Tivdale 0-1 Racing Club Warwick

Warwick deservedly led at the break and would have been disappointed not to have had another goal two as they completely dominated the forst 45 minutes. Tividale needed a much improved performance in the second half to get anything from the game.

The first opportunity, which was more of a half chance, of the second of half went to Tividale, on 54 minutes a flick on from a goal kick drew the Warwick centre half out of position the ball came to Elliot Hartley in the box, unfortunately his first touch wasn’t as good as he would have liked, which allows the defence to recover and clear the ball away. In the next attack Daragh bustin works his way down the left and crosses the ball into the box it evades everyone and bounces off the top of the Warwick crossbar. Warwick had their first effort of the second half on 58 minutes with a low shot driven wide of the Tividale goal. On 63 minutes Warwick picked up their second booking of the gane as the defender is judged to have brought down Daragh Bustin on the corner of the box, it looked a little harsh to us as the defender seemed to win the ball cleanly. From the resulting freekick Bustin hit the top of the Warwick crossbar for a second time. Dan Bryson picked up an injury during the freekick as the Warwick keeper seemed to land on his leg whilst diving attempting to get something on Bustin’s effort, Purley accidental and from the reaction of the Warwick keeper you could see he was just trying to keep the ball out of his net. Warwick extended their lead on 70 minutes as their defence picked up the ball on the edge of their own box and played a long ball forward which split the Tividale defence Danny Murphy latched onto the end of the pass and slides the ball past Louis Connor in the Tividale goal. Tividale had a penalty appeal turned down on 74 minutes as there was a coming together in the Warwick box Dan Smith asked the question the ref waved it away, it was difficult to tell of their was anything it, but can’t blame Smith for asking the question. Smith had Tivdale’s best chance of the game on 80 minutes as the ball broke to him in the Warwick box from a long through throw he had his back to goal and it was slightly under him he managed to stab an effort goalwards but it went just wide. Warwick should have extended their lead on 87 minutes as the forward finds himself in acres of space inside the Tividale box but for some reason he decideded to hit the shot early and its a comfortable save for Louis Connor. 90+4 minutes a final.chance for Warwick as an effort on goal is spilled by Louis Connor but he gathers it at the second attempt.

Full Time Tividale 0-2 Racing club Warwick

Warwick were well in control of the game and should really have had more but I’m sure they will be happy with the 3 points and a clean sheet. Tividale were well off the pace.

Tividale: – 1. Louis Connor, 2. Tom Hurdman 3. Darragh Bustin, 4. Luke Carter, 5. Lucas Muckley (15. Dan Bryson 46) (14 Joe Burroughs 63), 6. Matt Hunt, 7. Lewis McPike (12. Ethan Muckley 55) 8. Curtis Cocking, 9. Dan Smith, 10. Jason Wood, 11. Elliott Hartley.

Unused Subs: – 16. Owen Waterford, 17. TJ Munthali