Tividale FC

Report

Midland Football League

Premier Division
Saturday 30th October 2021
Tividale 2-1 Boldmere St Michaels

Greer at the Double

It has been said many times before that this squad of players show their true worth when the chip’s are down and they have to dig in. These are the times when every player steps up to be counted.

Our absolutely mad run of injuries got worse in mid-week with Hayden Reeves (fractured ankle), Niall Maher (hamstring strain), Cameron Milne (covid isolation) joining Dan Smith, Brad Welding and Jason Wood on the treatment bench. Then on the eve of the game, due to work work commitments Dan Bryson was made unavailable. In came Peter Hawk, Lewis McPike, the re-signed Adam Garmson and a first start for about 2 years for first team coach TJ Munthali

Due to the torrential rain in the previous 24 hours, at 10 am the game being on was doubtful at best but by the time of the noon inspection and with the sun shining and no more rain forecast for the day, referee Jack Shepherd was quite happy for the game to go ahead on the proviso that if there was any more rain. He may have to abandon it. So, it was going to be a tough slog on a pitch heavy in parts

The shower just before kick-off was ominous but it was just a brief one and, on the day, we celebrated the short life of Tividale’s Princess Maddy Box-Poole, what it produced was amazing. As we were in the middle of the minutes applause the most beautiful rainbow appeared above the ground. Maddy’s way of showing she is still with us and she will never be forgotten.

The start of thge game produced a spell of Boldmere pressure in which they forced a couple of corners. But it was Tividale that took the lead in the fifth minute. Under no pressure Boldmere keeper Dan Crane’s clearance landed at the feet of Tividale forward Eshan Greer on the edge of the box and he hit a powerful strike that although Crane got a hand to, he could not stop it going into the net. Tividale could have immediately doubled their lead with two McPike chances. The first was a one on one with Crane that the keepewr did well to save the shot. Then he fired over the bar.

With the visitors now exerting pressure on the Tividale defence Boldmere’s Reece Leek’s header on 14 minutes from a Robbie Thompson-Brown corner went straight into the midriff of Hawk in the Tividale goal, when a yard either side of the keeper and it may have been the equaliser. Then an Alex McSkeane shot went the wrong side of Hawk’s far post although he looked well offside when he received the ball in the build up. On 22 minutes a Boldmere free kick was headed down by Boldmere defender Pedro Lima for Stephen Palmer, but his shot was deflected wide for another corner and a 31st minute Thompson-Brown free kick again failed to cause Hawk any concern. By this time McPike had limped off to be replaced by debutee Ethan Muckley.

Tividale did show glimpse of an attacking intent when a Luke Carter pile driver on 32 minutes was deflected for a corner. And in first half stoppage time Carter had a golden chance to double Tividale’s lead. Muckley was brought down by Lima in the area and Carter’s spot kick was placed into the bottom left hand corner but Crane guessed correctly and palmed it away at full stretch. With Hartley unable to hit the target with the rebound.

Half Time: – Tividale 1-0 Boldmere St Michaels

Second period and Boldmere were immediately pressing Tividale back in search of the equaliser and it was down to some tremendous defending to keep the visitors out. Their best chance came in the 55th minute when a McSkeane effort was well held by Hawk. A Muckley break in the 56th minute left his marker for dead and he reached the bye line before pulling the ball back for Greer whose shot was blocked. The rebound came back to Muckley but the angle by now was too acute, and he placed his shot wide.

Three minutes later and Boldmere got the equaliser they possibly deserved. TJ Munthali mistimed his challenge on McSkeane in the penalty area and Thompson-Brown’s spot kick into the bottom corner just evaded Hawk. A massive chance for Boldmere to turn the game on its head on 61 minutes when a Joseph Daley header just clears the bar.

On 64 minutes came a piece of magic. A spell of Tividale pressure and the ball is cleared by Boldmere to the edge of their box. Greer controls it on his chest and then hits a dipping volley over Crane and into the back of the net. Quote Black Country Radio. “It was a thing of beauty” The home side could have wrapped it up a couple of minutes later when Hartley got behind the Boldmere defence but was denied brilliantly by Crane. Then Muckley’ s turn of pace left him one on one with Crane but again the keeper denied him.

Going into the last 15 minutes and Boldmere were again on top. Thompson-Brown shot wide and then Harry Craven headed a corner wide. Carter came to the rescue with a last-ditch challenge just before McSkeane pulled the trigger. There then followed some terrific defending as the game moved into injury time.

With 4 minutes of injury time played. The chances of Tividale holding on for the three points got a lot harder as Hartley was dismissed after being shown his second yellow card. Both for mistimed challenges. From the resulting free kick Hawk somehow got a finger tip to the ball and turned it around the post. Then two minutes later in what was to be the last piece of action and Hawk again denies Boldmere. This time turning a cross that came dangerously to creeping under the cross bar over and behind for a corner.

Full Time: – Tividale 2-1 Boldmere St Michaels

1. Peter Hawk, 2. Tom Hurdman, 3. Darragh Bustin, 4. Luke Carter, 5. TJ Munthali, 6. Matt Hunt, 7. Lewis McPike (12. Ethan Muckley 24), 8. Curtis Cocking, 9. Adam Garmson, 10. Ethan Greer 11. Elliott Hartley

Unused Subs: – 14. Jordan Edwards, 15. Keegan Horan, 16. Alfie Bustin