Tividale FC

Report

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 26th September 2020
Coventry United 3-2 Tividale
Good Josh double sink Tivi

A trip to Coventry United is no easy awayday but again Tividale leave with a bagful of “if only’s” Once again manager Dave King can be proud of his team’s performance but has to be gutted with the result.

With the 2 matches a week workload catching up on the squad. Will Rawlins, Freddie Watts, Lewis McPike and Ryan Grosvenor returned in place of Joe Burroughs, Colum Nugent, Liam Wilkinson and Elliott Hartley from the side that played Nantwich on Tuesday night.

Tividale were quickly into their stride and in the 2nd minute Luke Carter had the first strike on goal but United keeper Reece Francis held it comfortably. But on 6 minutes they were ahead Dan Smith did well to hold off his marker, laid the ball into McPike who rolled the ball into the net.

In the 12th minute, Brad Welding then pounced on a misplaced pass drove forward but then fired a shot straight at Francis. Straight from Francis’s save United countered with their first attack. Kyle Carey racing into the Tividale penalty area before firing his shot against the outside of Adam Harrison’s post.

As Tividale pushed forward Welding had a free kick on the edge of the United area but again it went straight into Francis’s midriff.

On 22 minutes Francis produced a save that I doubt will be bettered in this league this season. Once again Smith held the ball up well on the right side of the United area and made space to get his shot off. There only seemed one place that he could aim for that was across Francis and into the far corner. Instead with Francis going one way, Smith hooked the ball toward his near top corner. With it looking a certain goal Francis somehow switched his weight to his other foot and pawed the ball away.

The save stirred the whole United side and on 33 minutes they were level. What looked a harsh free kick conceded by Tividale on the edge of their area. Up stepped United’s Josh O’Grady and he fired the free kick into the back of the Tividale net. On 40 minutes with their tales up Carey saw his shot beat away by Harrison.

Grosvenor then went close, his shot beating Francis but defender Lewis Isun cleared off the line. Francis then pulled off another brilliant save parrying away a Grosvenor effort. While at the other end first Carey was denied again by Harrison before the loose ball fell to O’Grady who volleyed just wide.

Half Time: Coventry United 1-1 Tividale

With just 3 minutes into the half Harrison had to scoop away a dangerous Carey cross and Tividale immediately countered with Grosvenor producing another Francis save.

This was now end to end stuff and United’s Chris Cox then brought a save from Harrison with 55 minutes on the clock. Two minutes later and Harrison turned a Carey effort away for a corner . From the corner Rawlins cleared an Isun header off the line.

On 65 minutes came possibly the second best save you will see all season. Carey collected a pass on the edge of the “D” and his shot was arrowing for the back of the net before Harrison touched it over. But the referee gave a goal kick to the astonishment of everyone in the stadium.

On 70 minutes the visitors had a great chance to retake the lead. A Welding free kick was met by Matt Hunt but his header was well saved by Francis

Two minutes later came O’Grady and United’s second. Tividale failed to clear and the home side won the ball back, the ball was worked inside to O’Grady and from 25 yards his shot beat Harrison.

Tividale kept battling away and on 88 minutes they had great chance to level the scores. Smith played in substitute Jack Bailey but again his turn and shot went straight at Francis. In the 90th minute United extended their lead. Welding failed to cut out a Carey pass to United substitute Rio Hutson, leaving Hutson one on one with Harrison and he beat the keeper at his near post.

In injury time to Tividale were awarded a penalty when Smith was brought down by United skipper Michael Quirke and Carter sent Francis the wrong way making it an uneasy couple of minutes for the home side. But they held out and took the 3 points.

 

Full Time: Coventry United 3-2 Tividale

 

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