Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 27th January 2024
Tividale 0-3 Dudley Town

The Torment Continues

Once again Tividale found a way to end up with no points and be well beaten in the process. as the dark cloud of relegation that hovers over the club, got a whole lot bigger.

It was 14 days without a game all due to first frozen pitches caused by the artic conditions as the temperature dipped well below freezing point and then as the temperatures became milder, the inevitable waterlogging of the pitches.

Once again, the changes rang out after the poor defeat in the league cup against Highgate United two weeks earlier. In came Louis Connor, Callum Gillies, Joe Burroughs, Jakob Burroughs, Lewis Wright, Jack Till, Ewan Edwards, and Tarryl Davis replacing Tim Beech, Kamol Campbell, Joe Hawkins, Max Morris, Arman Khoshkhoo, Lewis Taylor-Boyce, Dominic Dell, and James Douglas

The game couldn’t have got off to a worse start for the home side when after just 6 minutes Dudley were ahead. Tividale lost possession on the edge of the visitors box and Connor Archer sweeps the ball from right to left and finds Harry Crook who’s cross is turned home by Ethan Muckley. It should have been 3-0 within a few minutes, when Crook spurned two great chances. First 5 minutes later when Crook again hit Tividale on the counter but fired wide and then on 18 minutes Connor turned his shot around the post. Muckley had a chance to make it 2-0 on 25 minutes, but he headed straight at Connor.

It wasn’t until the 27th minute that the home side threatened the Dudley goal, and it was Edwards that saw his near post shot brilliantly turned around the post by the Dudley Town keeper Alex Graham.

Tividale were getting a bit of a foothold in the game and on 31 minutes a Jakob Burroughs long throw was cleared back to him, and his first time shot went wide. But within two minutes Dudley had doubled their lead. From a Tividale corner Dudley broke the ball is played out to Muckley and his cross is turned home by Crook

A Snape free kick in the 38th minute was again turned around the post by the Graham and in the last bit of first half action Jordan Davies fired well over the bar in the 42nd minute.

Half Time:-Tividale 0-2 Dudley Town

A Snape free kick in the 61st minute that sailed wide was the first real effort on goal in the second half from either side and a minute later a Jakob Burroughs long throw found Till at the back post, but he fired over from 6 yards.

The visitors were soon back in their stride and Connor did well to deny Crook with his legs on 64 minutes and an Alex Perry header from a Davies free kick on 68 minutes was well held by Connor. But on 76 minutes Dudley scored their third. A Davies free kick found an unmarked Jamie Beddall  and the centre half thundered his header past Connor and into the net.

A minute later and Tividale’s misery was complete when Snape was brought down in the Dudley area, he got up, picked up the ball, placed it on the spot and yes you guessed it, smacked the ball high and wide. With 10 minutes to go Till had the chance for a consolation goal when through on goal but again he failed to beat Graham with his shot.

It has to be said that although we do not have the greatest of fanbase in this league, those who pay their money and the volunteers who give up their precious spare time for the club, expect the lads who step over the white line in a Tividale shirt, to give their all for the 90 plus minutes. We did not get anywhere near that today. This was a woeful performance, and we are now circling the drain of relegation.

Full Time:-Tividale 0-3 Dudley Town

Tividale:- 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3. Callum Gillies (12. Kamol Campbell 85), 4. Jakob Burroughs.  6. Joe Burroughs (16. Max Morris 85), 7. Lewis Wright (9. Dominic Dell 58), 8. Jack Till, 14. Cody Mullan, 15. Ryan Snape, 17. Ewan Edwards, 18. Tarryl Davis (10. James Douglas 64)

Unused Sub:- 11. Malcolm Melvin

 

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 6th January 2024
Tividale 0-2 Darlaston Town

Groundhog Day, As we start 24 as we ended 23

Tividale began 2024, the same way that they ended 2023. A defeat against a very good side, but again a game that we had more than enough chances to get something out of.

Boss Stuart How made two changes from the side that lost to Lichfield City on Boxing Day. Dominic Dell and Ewan Edwards coming into the starting line up with Cody Mullan suspended and Ryan Snape on the bench.

Some great news for the home side was the return of Arman Khoshkhoo for his first match of the season after being out through an injury he picked up in pre-season.

Darlaston started the game well, after 5 minutes a Tom Cottam corner was headed over by Alex Foresham and a minute later a Lewis Gill corner was hit towards the penalty spot to Aaron Bishop, who tried a spectacular overhead kick that flashed over the bar.

The visitors did take the lead in the 12th minute when a Jack Downing’s cross field pass found Bishop who in turn laid the ball off to James Rowland and he cut inside and unleashed a superb curling shot into Louis Connor’s top left-hand corner, giving the keeper no chance.

Tividale then missed a glorious chance to equalise on 18 minutes, when Taylor Townsend set up Dell, but the striker shot inches wide from the edge of the box, with Darlaston keeper Tom Allsopp racing from his line to put the striker under pressure to shoot early.

Clear chances for either side were few and far between, but by far the best chance falling to Darlaston’s Bishop in the 24th minute when he poked the ball wide from just three yards out.

The visitors had the better possession and half chances in the first 45 minutes, but without putting too much pressure on the home goal and went into the half time break with a single goal lead.

Half Time:-Tividale 0-1 Darlaston Town

It was Tividale who made the better start to the second half. Darlaston keeper Allsopp keeping out a Townsend 16-yard drive with an outstretched leg. But despite the pressing, Tividale could not create another chance of note,

On 62 minutes in a carbon copy of Dell’s first half miss, Bishop missed a glorious chance to double the visitors lead, when shooting wide with only Connor to beat.

In the final 20 minutes Darlaston substitutes Rivel Mardenborough and Kieron Miller both found space down the flanks, both crossing into the box or driving across the face of goal without finding a team mate to convert.

Darlaston defended stoutly and in numbers to thwart Tividale, who were pressing hard for an equaliser. But deep into added on time, a Tividale short corner was cleared some 40 yards by Bishop, and substitute debutant Dan Noke played in Miller, and he cut inside the penalty area, before curling the ball beyond Connor in the Tividale goal.

Full Time:-Tividale 0-2 Darlaston Town

Tividale:- 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3.Callum Gillies, 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Joe Hawkins, 6. Joe Burroughs, 7. Taylor Townsend, 8. Jack Till, 9. Dominic Dell (11. Arman Khoshkhoo 65), 14. Lewis Wright (10. James Douglas 60) , 17. Ewan Edwards (15. Ryan Snape 60)

Unused Subs:- 12. Cameron East, 16. Max Morris

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 30th December 2023
Lichfield City 2-0 Tividale

No points to show for a fine effort

Despite a superb effort away at Lichfield City. Tividale still came away with nothing as their shyness in front of goal was clinically exposed by a Lichfield side who took the chances that were offered them.

Tividale made just the two changes from the side that beat Wolverhampton Casuals last time out. In came club captain Zac Kourouyianni and forward jack Till in place of Cameron East and Ewan Edwards.

The home side started much the better and Jack Edwards will be disappointed with his effort when hammering the ball high and wide from a Dan Smith cross after just 2 minutes.

Lichfield keeper James Beeson was forced to produce a massive save after just 10 minutes, when he tipped a powerful strike from Ryan Snape over his own crossbar; and was then called into action again as Cody Mullan struck the ball goal wards from the edge of the box. Beeson collecting the ball at the second attempt.

Till fired wide on 28 minutes and 10 minutes later Edwards was sent through, but Tividale keeper Lewis Connor was quickly off his line to clear the danger. An Edwards free kick a minute later was headed wide of the Tividale goal by Smith.

On the stroke of half time a Dom Lewis header narrowly missed the bottom right-hand corner of Connor’s goal before the referee blew his whistle for half time.

Half Time:- Lichfield City 0-0 Tividale 

City opened the scoring with a goal within a minute of the second period when a Kieran Francis cross found Smith and he diverted the ball past Connor and into the net. Mullan had a great chance to level up the scores on 48 minutes, but he dragged his shot wide.

Edwards was denied a few minutes later, as the visiting defence held firm and blocked his shot in front of goal and then at the other end Lichfield had to defend a number of corners, as Tividale mounted a number of attack’s. Tividale broke down the right through Ewan Edwards in search of a late equaliser and was brought down just outside the box, but Lichfield were able to defend the Taylor Townsend ball into the box yet again.

Lichfield killed off the game in the 88th minute when another Francis cross into the box from the right was laid off by Louis Baker and he set up Jordan Clement, for him to strike home from the edge of the six-yard box.

Full Time:- Lichfield City 2-0 Tividale 

Tividale:- 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3.Callum Gillies (19. Lewis Taylor-Boyce 86), 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Joe Hawkins (12. Cameron East 80), 6. Joe Burroughs, 7. Taylor Townsend, 8. Jack Till, 11. Lewis Wright (17. Ewan Edwards 68) , 14. Cody Mullan, 11. Ryan Snape (9. Dominic Dell 68),

Unused Subs:- 10. James Douglas