Tividale FC

Report

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 1st February 2020
Tividale 1-1 Romulus

Romans Stalled

On a pitch that was heavy in places and fine in others and also a gale force wind to contend with, Tividale battled their way to a point against one of the title contenders.

With Jacob Barnes, absent Matt Hunt came back in to partner skipper Dan Bryson at centre back. and Tyree Clarke came in for Sam Prince as Manager Dave King reverted to a 4-4-2 line up.

As predicted the visitors were quickly out of the blocks and Lewis Archer had the first attempt on goal after just 2 minutes, dragging his shot wide. Tividale were soaking up the Romulus pressure and hitting them on the counter and on 14 minutes the plan worked as Curtis Cocking after some good work down the right played in Clarke and he rifled his shot into the roof of the net.

The visitors came roaring back and on 22 minutes Adam Harrison in the Tividale goal did well to block an Archer shot. Archer was first to the rebound and his cross into the area was headed over his own bar and to safety by Dan Bryson. Tividale had a great chance to extend their lead 2 minutes later when Dan Smith found Liam Wilkinson on the edge of the Romulus box but Wilkinson lofted his shot over the bar.

In another frantic couple of minutes around the half hour mark in the home penalty area. Tom Fishwick had a shot blocked by Bryson. Jordan Nadat had a header saved by Harrison and Nadat had a free header from a Alex Tomkinson corner again well saved by the Tividale keeper. and finally a Chad Degville-Cross – cross found it’s way to the Tividale back post were it was met by full back Niall Rowe but he shot wide.

Tividale did have the last couple of decent chance of the half. First on 40 minutes a Brad Welding corner was headed goal bound by Matt Hunt but a Romulus defender headed it clear. Then on the stroke of half time. After great work by Smith he teed up Darragh Bustin but he shot over the Romulus bar.

Half Time:-Tividale 1-0 Romulus

The second half started as the first one did with Romulus on the ascendency. On 56 minutes Dean Rathbone tried his luck with a free kick from distance that cleared the cross bar. Bustin then broke down the Tividale left beating two Romulus defenders. His cross found Cocking 8 yards out but he put his shot over the bar.

Romulus got the equaliser their play deserved on 71 minutes. When Rathbone met a corner with a looping header that beat everyone and nestled in the back of the net. The closing minutes of the game provided some  frantic end to end stuff but neither team could snatch the winner. The best chance being in the 85th minute when Nadat burst through a static home defence but Harrison was on hand to save the resulting shot

Full Time:-Tividale 1-1 Romulus