Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 22nd April 2023
Darlaston Town 1874 4-1 Tividale

Darlaston avenge first day defeat

Tividale travelled to the Paycare Stadium home of Darlaston Town 1874 for their final game of the 2022/23 season. It was also the venue of our first game of the season where we beat the host ‘s 4-0 in the FA Cup.

This time though there was to be no repeat as the home side eased to a 4-1 victory and the three points.

Tividale only made the one change from the win at AFC Wulfrunians a week ago with Malcolm Melvin coming in for David Solademi.

The following match report is courtesy of Darlaston Town 1874.

Darlaston Town started the game very much on the front foot, attacking at every opportunity from out wide, putting their visitors under pressure. Making sure Tividale’s defensive line was stretched. Darlaston were unlucky not to take the lead in the 12th minute a Rivel Mardenborough snapshot just shaving the outside of the far post following and angled drive.

As the game progressed Tividale found their feet with the impressive Jack Fletcher working hard always trying to get the visitors moving forward along with his midfield colleagues Jason Wood and Malcolm Melvin who were starting to break up giving their defensive partnership of Boroughs and Ezewele some rest bite.

Darlaston Town, took the lead on 26 minutes with an outstanding finish from Rivel Mardenborough, who restarted play with a quickly taken throw in, the ball fell to Mitch Botfield who’s well weighted through ball was met by the advancing forward, Mardenborough’ s powerful finish gave Tivi’s keeper Connor no chance and found the far side of the net giving Darlaston a deserved 1-0 lead.

The visitor’s response was to keep attacking the home side Dan Smith was starting to hold off the home defence, bring his teammates into play, Ellis and fellow forward Arman Khoshkhoo benefitting with efforts on Clarkson’s goal.

With just 8 minutes left to the interval the dominance of the game changed. Darlaston doubled their lead the busy Mason sending a 45-yard raking diagonal pass to fellow full back Jones, who just on the by-line pulled the ball back to ex Tividale man Downing, his sublime cross was met with a Reece Mason bullet header beating the static Connor.

Three minutes later after efforts on goal by Podmore, Mardenborough and Botfield following a corner, Mason’s shot was adjudged to be handled by Melvin by Referee Sudbury. Mardenborough who scored a hat-trick on Wednesday saw his effort save by keeper Connor.

Despite the disappointment the home support did not have to wait long for a third goal, and this was another outstanding finish by another ex-Tividale player Liam Wilkinson. Mardenborough after beating the offside trap had seen his effort save by the now busy Connor, he collected the ball out wide on Darlo’s left, and played the ball into the path of Wilkinson, his rocket of a shot went in via the inside of the left hand post to raise even more cheers from the home supporters giving Darlaston a three goal advantage two minutes before the half time interval.

.Half Time: Darlaston Town 1874 3-0 Tividale

The second half started much the same as the first, but both managers made substitutions starting around 55 minutes. Tividale scored in the 61st minute to give them a lifeline, the impressive and busy Arman Khoshkhoo took advantage of some unusual space on the edge of Darlaston’s box, his well struck right foot finish flew past Clarkson giving the visitors some hope of extending their five-game unbeaten run.

This was soon extinguished just two minutes later. A needless foul on Darlaston substitute Tyler Bruck proved costly. Mitch Bitfield’s free kick was met 12 yards out by the forehead of Liam Smith, his outstanding header from 12 yards out beat the again static Connor to give Darlaston a 4-1,

Full Time: Darlaston Town 1874 4-1 Tividale

Tividale: – 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni (16. Oliver Fluke 77), 3. Kamol Campbell, 4. Joe Burroughs, 5. Louis Ezewele, 6. Harry Lewis (17. Ryan Snape 33), 7. Malcolm Melvin, 8. Jason Wood (14. David Solademi 68), 9. Dan Smith (12. Nashawn Blake 54), 10. Arman Khoshkhoo (12. Reinaldo Forbes 77) , 11. Jack Fletcher.

Unused Subs:- None.

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 15th April 2023
AFC Wulfrunians 1- 2 Tividale

Five on the bounce

Five league wins in a row is not easy at any level. But when they come from a side with relegation hovering over them at the start of the run and in the space of just 15 days. It is proof of the togetherness of the management, coaching and playing staff.

It is always an enjoyable trip to our friends at the Castlecroft and a win makes it an even better day. With so many players in the Wulf’s side that Tividale are familiar with, including Curtis Cocking and Brad Welding who have both made over 100 appearances for Tividale in their ranks this was always going to be a strategy battle and in the first half we struggled but in the second half we dominated.

With defenders Joe Burroughs, Louis Ezewele and David Solademi returning after missing the Market Drayton win. Tividale reverted back to a 5-3-2 formation.

The first half was fairly poor from both sides as Tividale failed to put any real pressure on the home side and Wulf’s failed to take advantage of it and put the game out of sight.

It did not help with some awful officiating that due to the inconsistencies and poor decisions. It meant frustrated players on both sides and the game never flowed.

Tividale were already under the cosh when an Ethan Jarrett cross was somehow turned into his own net by Louis Connor in the 9^th minute. Connor lost his bearings when trying to palm the cross over away and did not get the ball over his bar.

Welding had a sight of goal on 16 minutes, but his shot sailed wide, and Jake Webb saw his shot on 31 minutes parried by Connor and although Webb was first to the rebound Solademi blocked his follow up.

Tividale’s only chance of the half was also the best move of the half. Jason Wood fired a pass into Dan Smith whose neat touch put in Arman Khoshkhoo, but he failed to hit the target with his shot..

Half Time: AFC Wulfrunians 1-0 Tividale

You felt that the second half had to improve and for Tividale it did. Tividale switched to a 4-3-3 formation at the beginning of the half with Reinaldo Forbes coming on in a wide right position replacing centre back Solademi and the switch brought dividends within the first 10 minutes.

In the 55^th minute Tividale with more width to their attacking play got in behind the Wulf’s defence and worked the ball out to Wood on the edge of the box who fired home past the despairing dive of Wulf’s keeper Jake James.

On 72 minutes a Jordan Davies shot after he was put in by Jarrett was brilliantly turned over by Connor, but to the surprise of everyone in the ground a goal kick was given.

Tividale should have taken the lead on 79 minutes when somehow Wulf’s kept out efforts from Smith and Khoshkhoo in what was a mad scramble in their area.

Wulf’s had a chance to get back in the lead on 81 minutes when a Jacob Gwilt cross was turned over the visitor’s bar by Tom Poole. But it was Tividale who hit the winner on 90 minutes.

A Smith break down the Tividale right attracted 3 Wulf’s defenders leaving Khoshkhoo unmarked racing down the left. All Smith had to do was find him with a pass in which he obliged and Khoshkhoo with just James to beat made no mistake.

Full Time: AFC Wulfrunians 1- 2 Tividale

Tividale: – 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3. Kamol Campbell, 4. Joe Burroughs, 5. Louis Ezewele, 6. David Solademi (14. Reinaldo Forbes 46)  , 7. Harry Lewis, 8. Jason Wood, 9. Dan Smith (12. Nashawn Blake 92), 10. Arman Khoshkhoo, 11. Jack Fletcher.

Unused Subs:- 15. Ashley Oliver, 16. Callum Powell