Tividale FC

Report

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Wednesday 7th August 2019
Tividale 2-0 AFC Wulfruniuns

Off and Running

Tividale got their MFL Premier campaign off and running with the sort of hardworking performance that will be required every time they take the field this season.

Apart from Ryan Cheshire replacing Reiss Jeavons in goal. Manager Dave King started with the same team and 4-3-3 formation that was unlucky not to get anything from the game on Saturday. But their was changes on the bench with Mat Hunt, Tyree Clarke and Cameron Milne in place of Jacob Barnes, Louis Connor and Emile Beckford.

Tividale had the first chance of the game after just 3 minutes when AFC keeper Tom Turner could only punch away for a corner a dipping Brad Welding free kick. On 12 minutes Welding had another opportunity when Tom Hurdman found him with a 60 yard pass but the young wingback fired into the side netting. AFC had a golden chance to go in front when a cross found Ashley Evans unmarked at the far post but he shot into the side netting. Hurdman was the architect of another Tividale chance when his pass found Jake Webb who also failed to hit the target.

AFC were then denied by two spectacular Cheshire saves on the half hour. First he beat away a pile driver from the edge of the area. AFC kept the ball alive and a cross found Evans but his shot was tipped over the bar by Cheshire. On 42 minutes an Angelo Franco free kick fizzed over Cheshire’s cross bar.

As the half ended Welding had two great chaces to draw first blood. First he met Webb’s right wing cross on the half volley but again drilled it wide. Then Turner had to be at full stretch to palm his free kick over the bar.

Half Time: Tividale 0-0 AFC Wulfruniuns

6 minutes into the second half and referee Ryan McilRavey rolled his ankle and had to be replaced by his assistant Michael Slater and a referee in the stands stepped in to replace Mr Slater. This meant about 10 minutes of injury time at the end of the game.

4 minutes later and Tividale scored their first goal of the new campaign. If you was there on Saturday you would have had your face in your hands. On Saturday Brad Welding hit a beautiful cross Dan Smith rose and as we were about to cheer a goal he somehow got it all wrong and cleared it like a seasoned defender. This time though he gave Turner no chance with a bullet of a header from Welding’s brilliant cross.

AFC had to go for it and they were close with another strike from distance that whistled over Cheshire’s cross bar. The game could have ended with any of three results as AFC pressed but Tividale were restricting them to long range pot shots. Then on 68 minutes Tividale were given clear water. AFC centre half James Hill got the ball caught under his foot, Smith nipped in took it off him and slammed the ball under Turner.

Tividale managed the rest of the game and despite some AFC pressure near the end ran out comfortable winners. Tividale even had a goalden opportunity to add a third when Smith cashed in on another AFC mistake. rounded Turner but was denied by an excellent Sam Mills tackle

Full Time: Tividale 2-0 AFC Wulfruniuns

Photo by 353 Photography