Competition: MFL Premier

Tividale vs Wolverhampton Casuals

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 1st March 2025
Tividale 5-1 Wolverhampton Casuals

Back to Back Wins

After last Saturday’s away win at Highgate United. It was imperative that we did not throw    the great work away by dropping points at home today. While a draw would be painful but not quite the end of the world a defeat would be disastrous.

There was no issues with the line-up, as the same first eleven and substitutes were named.

The home sides nerves were settled within the first minute as Ezekiel Agyemang surged down the Tividale right picked out Jordon Sangha and his half volley flew past Casual’s keeper via the underside of the bar and in. Although it settled the home nerves Casuals were not going to roll over and immediately went for the equaliser with right back Phil McKerdy firing wide on 5 minutes.

Casuals were nearly two behind on the quarter hour when a mix up in their defence put Agyemang through one on one with Casuals keeper Bradley Clarkson, but the keeper blocked the forwards shot and put it behind for a corner that itself caused a mass scramble in the Casuals area but they cleared.

On 20 minutes came a great Casuals chance, when it was Tividale’s turn to give the ball away and ex Tividale wide man Jack Downing beat Ethan Hawkes with his shot but Tom Rann was on the line to clear. The errors continued and in the 24th minute Tividale cashed in on another one when a loose Casuals defensive pass fell to Sangha to fire home his and Tividale’s second.

It should have been 3-0 to the home side on the half hour when from a corner Matt Holland had his shot blocked on the line. But back came Casuals and Zak Poskitt tried his luck from distance on 34 minutes but it never troubled Hawkes. A minute before the half time break Casuals again had the chance to half the deficit when a Billy Corns cross was headed wide of Hawkes post by Charlie Swingwood

Half Time:- Tividale 2-0 Wolverhampton Casuals

Tividale started the second period as they started the first when a brilliant 49th minute cross field ball from Jason Wood was met on the half volley by Sangha and he hammered the ball past Clarkson and into the back of the net. The all action game continued with Agyemang unselfishly picking out Alfie Higgs in the 53rd minute but his shot was blocked by Clarkson. The ball immediately went straight down the other end and Hawkes had to get down sharpish to deny the dangerous Downing.

Corns had his goal bound effort blocked by Tom Rann in the 56th minute and two minutes later Agyemang beat Clarkson with his shot but his effort came back off the post. Sangha was the first to react and he turned the ball to Higgs who side footed the ball home for Tividale’s 4th.

After a wave of substitutions, a lapse in the Tividale defence and a poor clearance on 71 minutes allowed Downing to hit a shot from the edge of the box that beat Hawkes and made it 4-1. 7 minutes later and Tividale regained their 4 goal lead when substitute Aon Mohammed Abbas left his full back for dead played in fellow sub Ryan Piggott and he in turn calmly turned his marker wrong footed Clarkson and passed the ball into an empty net.

Lewis Derrick nearly added to the scoring in the 87th minute but could not keep his shot down and in injury time Downing was again looking to get a consolation for the visitors but the Tividale defences never say die attitude was summed up when Callum Lloyd dived across him to block his shot.

In the end not only a very good win against a fellow struggler but the 8 goal swing in the goal difference was as good as another point.

Full Time:- Tividale 5-1 Wolverhampton Casuals

Tividale:- 1.Ethan Hawkes, 2. Tom Rann, 3. Sam Bratt-Wyton, 4. Jason Wood, 5. Callum Lloyd, 6 Matt Holland, 7. Jordon Sangha (15. Myles Durham 75) , 8. Eddie Rann (16. Lewis Derrick 66), 9. Ezekiel Agyemang (14. Nathan Guest 60) , 10. Alfie Higgs (17. Aon Mohammed Abbas 77) 11. Ethan Delaney (12. Ryan Piggott 60)

Unused Subs:– None

Tividale
1Private: Ethan Hawkes Goalkeeper
2Thomas Rann Defender
3Samuel Bratt-Wyton Defender
4Private: Jason Wood Midfielder
5Callum Lloyd Defender
6Matt Holland Defender
7Private: Jordon Sangha Midfielder 2', 24', 49'
8Edward Rann 16 Midfielder
9Ezekiel Agyemang 12 Forward
10Alfie Higgs 17 Midfielder 58'
11Ethan Delaney 14 Forward
12Private: Ryan Piggott 9 Forward 78'
14Private: Nathan Guest 11 Forward
15Myles Durham Midfielder
16Lewis Derrick 8 Midfielder
17Private: Aon Mohammed Abbas 10 Midfielder
vs

Highgate United vs Tividale

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 22nd February 2025
Highgate United 3-1 Tividale

A win was needed and got.

Again, it was another two weeks due to a waterlogged pitch since the 8-3 defeat at Brocton and while it was good to hit the back of the net, the goals conceded in that game was a massive concern.

In a mad midweek with us having no game. On Tuesday night (18th February) Highgate beat Romulus and lifted themselves off the bottom of the league and sent us bottom. Then on Wednesday night (19th February)  Wolves Casuals lost 3-1 at Northwich Victoria and swapped places with us on goal difference

And so, onto a 6 pointer against the side now a place and two points above us….

Tividale made just the one change to the side that went down at Brocton, with Ethan Delaney returning from his three match suspension and replacing Lewis Derrick.

Tividale were on the front foot from the off and Jordon Sangha fired wide in the very first minute. For the first quarter of an hour, it was all Tividale possession but nothing to show until the 15th minute, when a Delaney cross was headed home by Sangha. Six minutes later and Highgate had their first attempt on goal when a neat ball from Devonn O’Sullivan found Randy Osei but he lingered before shooting and the Tividale defence was able to recover and clear for a corner. From the resulting Ethan Bracher corner Jack Ricketts headed wide.

Delaney then fired into the side netting on 24 minutes after an excellent run. A Bracher free kick was met by Ben McSkeane but his header was taken comfortably by Tividale keeper Ethan Hawk. On 29 minutes Alfie Higgs turned in the penalty area but his shot was well saved by Highgate keeper Tom Way, getting down to turn it around the post and 4 minutes later Higgs was through one on one with Way but helped by a poor first touch the keeper did well to smother the shot.

The game was evenly balanced with both sides pushing for the vital next goal and it was the visitors that scored it another Delaney cross and this time Higgs made no mistake turning the ball home in the 42nd minute. It could have been an even better half time break for Tividale when on 44 minutes another great ball in from Delaney found Ezekiel Agyemang but he stabbed the ball wide.

Half Time:- Highgate United 0-2 Tividale

2-0 down and the game slipping away from them as expected Highgate came out with all gun’s blazing and within a minute of a restart O’Sullivan fired over. In the 53rd minute they halved the deficit. A Bracher corner was headed home by McSkeane. A minute later and they will feel they should have been level another great Bracher cross was headed over by Osei.

Jason Wood hit a pile driver on the hour as Tividale began to settle into the second half and on 65 minutes he had another go from a good 30 yards that flashed wide of Way’s post.

McSkeane’s free kick in the 83rd minute was the last real threat to the Tividale goal but it sailed wide and with three minutes of normal time remaining, Tividale ensured that they would be taking the 3 points when Agyemang showed .his strength holding off two defenders before cutting the ball back to Sangha who swept the ball past Way

Full Time:-  Highgate United 1-3 Tividale

Tividale:- 1.Ethan Hawkes, 2. Tom Rann, 3. Sam Bratt-Wyton, 4. Jason Wood, 5. Callum Lloyd, 6 Matt Holland, 7. Jordon Sangha, 8. Eddie Rann (17. Lewis Derrick 90), 9. Ezekiel Agyemang, 10. Alfie Higgs (14. Ryan Piggott 75) 11. Ethan Delaney

Unused Subs:– 12. Aon Mohammed Abbas, 15. Michael Agyemang, 16. Myles Durham

Tividale
1Private: Ethan Hawkes Goalkeeper
2Thomas Rann 17 Defender
3Samuel Bratt-Wyton Defender
4Private: Jason Wood Midfielder
5Callum Lloyd Defender
6Matt Holland Defender
7Private: Jordon Sangha Midfielder 15', 87'
8Edward Rann Midfielder
9Ezekiel Agyemang Forward
10Alfie Higgs 14 Midfielder 42'
11Ethan Delaney Forward
12Private: Aon Mohammed Abbas Midfielder
14Private: Ryan Piggott 10 Forward
15Private: Michael Agyemang Midfielder
16Myles Durham Midfielder
17Lewis Derrick 2 Midfielder
vs

Brocton vs Tividale

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 8th February 2025
Brocton 8-3Tividale

Careful what you wish for

Tividale came into this game with the unwanted statistic of not scoring in any competition since Aon Mohammed Abbas’s 67th minute free kick against Dudley Town on the 14th December 2024. Which equated to eight weeks or if you include injury time over 8 hours of football.

Today they ended that drought, but in a game of which team could make the least defensive errors, Tividale were a sorry second.

The visitors made just the one change from the side that were unlucky in the 2-0 defeat last time out against Stourport Swifts two weeks ago. With the more attacking midfielder Lewis Derrick coming in for the holding midfielder Raheem Akhtar

As expected, high flying Brocton were at the visitors from the start and went ahead after 9 minutes when Brocton captain Connor Haddaway fired home from close range after a Tividale defender had blocked the original shot. The long wait was over 10 minutes later as Tividale drew level. A Jason Wood free kick was half cleared and after a number of blocks in the Brocton area, the ball came out to Jordon Sangha, who fired past Brocton keeper Tony Allsopp.

Tividale had a great chance to go ahead 2 minutes later when from a Derrick free kick Matt Holland headed just wide, As the game raced from end to end Brocton’s Will Whieldon’s 24th minute free kick found Jake Thomas but he dragged his shot wide. A minute later and they were back in front through a great pass by Regan Smith to Weldon who was left one on one with Hawkes and he put the ball past him and into the back of the net.

In the 28th minutes after the first of the errors it was back at 2-2. Tividale’s Ezekiel Agyemang cashing in on a massive Brocton mix up. After a long kick from Hawkes, Brocton defender Kenny Devoir’s weak header to Allsopp was well short and left the keeper in no man’s land and Agyemang nipped in and finished.

On 34 minutes Tividale returned the favour. A poor back pass to Hawk, and his attempted clearance was blocked by Smith and the forward rolled the loose ball into the net. Alfie Higgs had a chance to put Tividale level for a third time in the 40th minute but Allsopp was down to his shot comfortably.

Brocton went further ahead in the 42nd minute with their 4th. Whieldon collected a cross field ball cut inside and fired into Hawkes’s far corner.

Half Time:- Brocton 4-2 Tividale

Whieldon opened the second period with what would have been a spectacular goal but his back post volley sailed over the bar, From a 49th minute Sangha corner Hollands back post header found the back of the net and it was 4-3. Then after good work from Sangha,  Agyemang missed the target with a chance of getting the visitors back on level terms.

In the 55th minute, Brocton scored their 5th. When Smith was allowed to turn and shoot, beating Hawkes at his near post. Two minutes later and it was six. An Allsopp clearance found Whieldon and his first time cross fell to Christian Blanchette at the back post and he turned the ball home.

Six became seven in the 59th minute when Whieldon collected the ball, ran into the box unchallenged and fired past Hawkes for his hat-trick.

Thankfully for Tividale there then came a number of substitutions that halted the Brocton momentum and it was not until the 71st minute when they hit their 8th. Substitute Jude King was again allowed to pick up the ball on the left and unchallenged, curled a shot into the top corner. King was close to his second in the final minute of the game as his shot beat Hawk but it brushed the outside of the post.

In the end a chastening defeat against a very good side who will punish any side at this level that makes as many mistakes or wrong decisions as we did. But the plus if you can call it a plus is that at least we have added to the goals scored column.

Full Time:- Brocton 8-3 Tividale

Tividale:- 1.Ethan Hawkes, 2. Tom Rann, 3. Sam Bratt-Wyton (15. Jevani Robinson 63), 4. Jason Wood, 5. Callum Lloyd, 6 Matt Holland, 7. Jordon Sangha, 8. Eddie Rann (12. Raheem Akhtar 67), 9. Ezekiel Agyemang (17. Aon Mohammed Abbas 80}, 10. Lewis Derrick (16. Ryan Piggott 62), 11. Alfie Higgs (14. Myles Durham 72)

Unused Subs:– None

Tividale
1Private: Ethan Hawkes Goalkeeper
2Thomas Rann Defender
3Samuel Bratt-Wyton 15 Defender
4Private: Jason Wood Midfielder
5Callum Lloyd Defender
6Matt Holland Defender 49'
7Private: Jordon Sangha Midfielder 19'
8Edward Rann 12 Midfielder
9Ezekiel Agyemang 17 Forward 28'
10Lewis Derrick 16 Midfielder
11Alfie Higgs 14 Midfielder
12Private: Raheem Akhtar 8 Defender
14Myles Durham 11 Midfielder
15Private: Jevani Robinson 3 Defender
16Private: Ryan Piggott 10 Forward
17Private: Aon Mohammed Abbas 9 Midfielder
vs

Tividale vs Stourport Swifts

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 25th January 2025
Tividale 0- 2 Stourport Swifts

No goals No points.

Don’t get it wrong. You finish where you deserve to finish in any league as it’s based on performances and results over a season, but at times you feel that the God’s are against you. But you have to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and go again. This was one of those days. After playing almost all game as well as at any time this season, a point was cruelly snatched from us at the end of normal time.

After the previous performance against table toppers Lichfield City. It was no surprise that the same starting eleven started this game.

After a fairly quiet opening minutes Stourport had the first shot on 11 minutes but Ryan Snape’s shot was high and wide. The visitors were now exerting a great deal of pressure and 3 minutes later Jim Hanson saw his shot go wide and then it was Jack Cresswell’s turn to have a go on 20 minutes but although his effort was on target Tividale keeper Ethan Hawkes was equal to it.

Tividale’s first effort came half way through the half when skipper Sam Bratt-Wyton drove from his left back position to the edge of the Stourport box and unleashed a shot that Stourport keeper Dom Richards could only parry away. Tividale made Richards work again on 39 minutes when from a corner, Callum Lloyd hooked the ball into the box Ezekiel Agyemang got his head to it and Richards had to tip the ball over the bar.

At the end of a great Tividale spell before the half time whistle Jordon Sangha fired over the bar after Alfie Higgs chested a ball down for him.

Half Time:- Tividale 0- 0 Stourport Swifts

Stourport were the ones with the better start to the half and they actually had the ball in the net on 54 minutes through Connor Deards, but the goal was chalked off due to a handball in the build-up. Deards should have put the visitors in front in the 66th minute when Matt Harland made the most of indecision in the home defence, cut the ball back to Deards on the edge of the 6 yard box and in the centre of the goal, but somehow, he shot over the bar.

Again, it was half way through the half before Tividale threatened, this time an Aon Mohammed Abbas free kick cleared the bar.

With Tividale defending well and looking like holding on for a valuable point Stourport had a penalty appeal turned down in the 88th minute when Stourport substitute Kai Adams failed to get his shot off after a challenge from Lloyd.

Less than a minute later from a ball played into the Tividale area defender Raheem Akhtar clearly chested the ball away only for referee Michael Jones with no hesitation point directly to the spot even though he was on the blind side of the incident. Making the penalty decision either a complete guess or to make up for the one that he felt he should have given before. Either way Dale Edwards scored from the spot and absolutely killed the home sides resolve.

With Tividale pushing forward and looking for the equaliser Stourport added a second deep into injury time when Edwards broke on the counter found Adams and he beat Hawkes with his shot to wrap up the three points.

Full Time:- Tividale 0- 2 Stourport Swifts

Tividale:- 1.Ethan Hawkes, 2. Tom Rann, 3. Sam Bratt-Wyton, 4. Matt Holland, 5. Callum Lloyd, 6 Raheem Akhtar, 7. Jordon Sangha, 8. Eddie Rann (16. Nehemia Zazi 74) , 9. Ezekiel Agyemang (15. Ryan Piggott 63}, 10. Jason Woods , 11. Alfie Higgs (12. Aon Mohammed Abbas 65)

Unused Subs:–14. Lewis Derrick,17. Myles Durham

 

vs