Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 6th January 2024
Tividale 0-2 Darlaston Town

Groundhog Day, As we start 24 as we ended 23

Tividale began 2024, the same way that they ended 2023. A defeat against a very good side, but again a game that we had more than enough chances to get something out of.

Boss Stuart How made two changes from the side that lost to Lichfield City on Boxing Day. Dominic Dell and Ewan Edwards coming into the starting line up with Cody Mullan suspended and Ryan Snape on the bench.

Some great news for the home side was the return of Arman Khoshkhoo for his first match of the season after being out through an injury he picked up in pre-season.

Darlaston started the game well, after 5 minutes a Tom Cottam corner was headed over by Alex Foresham and a minute later a Lewis Gill corner was hit towards the penalty spot to Aaron Bishop, who tried a spectacular overhead kick that flashed over the bar.

The visitors did take the lead in the 12th minute when a Jack Downing’s cross field pass found Bishop who in turn laid the ball off to James Rowland and he cut inside and unleashed a superb curling shot into Louis Connor’s top left-hand corner, giving the keeper no chance.

Tividale then missed a glorious chance to equalise on 18 minutes, when Taylor Townsend set up Dell, but the striker shot inches wide from the edge of the box, with Darlaston keeper Tom Allsopp racing from his line to put the striker under pressure to shoot early.

Clear chances for either side were few and far between, but by far the best chance falling to Darlaston’s Bishop in the 24th minute when he poked the ball wide from just three yards out.

The visitors had the better possession and half chances in the first 45 minutes, but without putting too much pressure on the home goal and went into the half time break with a single goal lead.

Half Time:-Tividale 0-1 Darlaston Town

It was Tividale who made the better start to the second half. Darlaston keeper Allsopp keeping out a Townsend 16-yard drive with an outstretched leg. But despite the pressing, Tividale could not create another chance of note,

On 62 minutes in a carbon copy of Dell’s first half miss, Bishop missed a glorious chance to double the visitors lead, when shooting wide with only Connor to beat.

In the final 20 minutes Darlaston substitutes Rivel Mardenborough and Kieron Miller both found space down the flanks, both crossing into the box or driving across the face of goal without finding a team mate to convert.

Darlaston defended stoutly and in numbers to thwart Tividale, who were pressing hard for an equaliser. But deep into added on time, a Tividale short corner was cleared some 40 yards by Bishop, and substitute debutant Dan Noke played in Miller, and he cut inside the penalty area, before curling the ball beyond Connor in the Tividale goal.

Full Time:-Tividale 0-2 Darlaston Town

Tividale:- 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3.Callum Gillies, 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Joe Hawkins, 6. Joe Burroughs, 7. Taylor Townsend, 8. Jack Till, 9. Dominic Dell (11. Arman Khoshkhoo 65), 14. Lewis Wright (10. James Douglas 60) , 17. Ewan Edwards (15. Ryan Snape 60)

Unused Subs:- 12. Cameron East, 16. Max Morris

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 30th December 2023
Lichfield City 2-0 Tividale

No points to show for a fine effort

Despite a superb effort away at Lichfield City. Tividale still came away with nothing as their shyness in front of goal was clinically exposed by a Lichfield side who took the chances that were offered them.

Tividale made just the two changes from the side that beat Wolverhampton Casuals last time out. In came club captain Zac Kourouyianni and forward jack Till in place of Cameron East and Ewan Edwards.

The home side started much the better and Jack Edwards will be disappointed with his effort when hammering the ball high and wide from a Dan Smith cross after just 2 minutes.

Lichfield keeper James Beeson was forced to produce a massive save after just 10 minutes, when he tipped a powerful strike from Ryan Snape over his own crossbar; and was then called into action again as Cody Mullan struck the ball goal wards from the edge of the box. Beeson collecting the ball at the second attempt.

Till fired wide on 28 minutes and 10 minutes later Edwards was sent through, but Tividale keeper Lewis Connor was quickly off his line to clear the danger. An Edwards free kick a minute later was headed wide of the Tividale goal by Smith.

On the stroke of half time a Dom Lewis header narrowly missed the bottom right-hand corner of Connor’s goal before the referee blew his whistle for half time.

Half Time:- Lichfield City 0-0 Tividale 

City opened the scoring with a goal within a minute of the second period when a Kieran Francis cross found Smith and he diverted the ball past Connor and into the net. Mullan had a great chance to level up the scores on 48 minutes, but he dragged his shot wide.

Edwards was denied a few minutes later, as the visiting defence held firm and blocked his shot in front of goal and then at the other end Lichfield had to defend a number of corners, as Tividale mounted a number of attack’s. Tividale broke down the right through Ewan Edwards in search of a late equaliser and was brought down just outside the box, but Lichfield were able to defend the Taylor Townsend ball into the box yet again.

Lichfield killed off the game in the 88th minute when another Francis cross into the box from the right was laid off by Louis Baker and he set up Jordan Clement, for him to strike home from the edge of the six-yard box.

Full Time:- Lichfield City 2-0 Tividale 

Tividale:- 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3.Callum Gillies (19. Lewis Taylor-Boyce 86), 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Joe Hawkins (12. Cameron East 80), 6. Joe Burroughs, 7. Taylor Townsend, 8. Jack Till, 11. Lewis Wright (17. Ewan Edwards 68) , 14. Cody Mullan, 11. Ryan Snape (9. Dominic Dell 68),

Unused Subs:- 10. James Douglas

 

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Tuesday 26th December 2023
Tividale 1-0 Wolverhampton Casuals

A better showing

A showing of hard work and pure effort was required in this fixture because a repeat of the display that was served up three days ago against Atherstone Town was going to end with the same result. This on paper was going to be a game of attrition and is what it was as both sides battled their way through the 90 plus minutes.

After Saturday’s game Stuart made another 4 changes to his Boxing Day line up. This time resting Zac Kourouyianni, Jack Till, Dominic Dell, and Max Morris and in came the returning duo of Jakob Burroughs from a three game ban, Cody Mullan, Ewan Evans, and Cameron East.

Casuals had the first effort on goal after 4 minutes when a Dalintin Ticha effort went wide of Louis Connor’s post. In the 9th minute Jakob Burroughs found Ewan Edwards but his shot was well saved by Casuals keeper Stan Amos.

With 21 minutes on the clock Casuals were awarded a very soft free kick. Casuals defender Joe Clarke headed it into the 6 yard box and after a goal mouth scramble Connor got hold of the ball. Ryan Snape then went close with a Tividale free kick on 38 minutes that went just wide of Amos’s upright. 

As Tividale upped the pressure at the close of the first half, an Edwards shot was well held by Amos.

Half Time:-Tividale 0-0 Wolverhampton Casuals

With chances hard to come by Casuals had a great chance to equalise in the 56th minute when a corner started another goalmouth scramble but again the home side survived and cleared the danger.

In the 79th minute came the goal, and it came via the penalty spot. Casuals Reece Taylor was adjudged to have brought down Snape in the area and the winger got up and duly despatched the spot kick.

The rest of the half went the way that the game had panned out with no real chances until the 90th minute when the ball broke kindly for substitute Till but with just Amos to beat, he fired straight into the keepers arms.

Full Time:-Tividale 1-0 Wolverhampton Casuals

Tividale:- 1. Louis Connor, 3. Callum Gillies, 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Joe Hawkins, 6. Joe Burroughs, 7. Taylor Townsend, 10. Lewis Wright (15, Cain Smith 77)11. Ryan Snape (19. Lewis Taylor-Boyce 84), 12. Cameron East (2. Zac Kourouyianni 88) , 14. Cody Mullan, 17. Ewan Edwards (8. Jack Till 60),

Unused Subs:- 9. Dominic Dell

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 23rd December 2022
Atherstone Town 3-1 Tividale

A Poor Show

This game was done and dusted in the first 45 minutes as Tividale produced their worst  performance since the defeat at Highgate United back in October.

With the busy Christmas period coming up and two games in 3 days, Stuart again rang out the changes, in came Dominic Dell, Max Morris, new signing Jack Till and the returning Ryan Snape, in place of Cain Smith, Ewan Edwards, Lewis Taylor-Boyce and the absent Cody Mullan

Tividale made the worst possible start, when in the 2nd minute from Atherstone’s first corner of the game some shocking defending allowed Jake Brown first to a loose ball and he forced the ball home.

Tividale then had a three penalty appeals turned down in the space of 5 minutes, two against Taylor Townsend and one against Jack Till as they all went down under challenges and for his troubles Till got booked for diving.

Atherstone’s Ryan Quinn then dragged a shot wide after 15 minutes. Then on 25 minutes they doubled their lead. when Jake Brown beat the Tividale high line and he pulled the ball back  to the edge of the area, again Tividale had chances to clear their lines but failed to and Gabe Webster fired past Louis Connor in goal.

Tividale’s first shot of the game came a couple of minutes later when Dell did well in holding the ball up for Townsend, but his shot was deflected wide by a defender and from the resulting corner Joe Hawkins headed over.

On 30 minutes Tividale brought it back to 2-1. When Townsend was brought down just outside the area and Snape’s free kick was spilled by Atherstone keeper Finn Osborn and Tividale skipper Zak Kourouyianni smashed the loose ball into the roof of the net. 

As the game moved into stoppage time Atherstone regained their two goal advantage when a mishit Ryan Quinn cross evaded Connor in the Tividale goal and nestled in the back of the net.

Deep into first half injury time and Atherstone nearly let Tividale back in when a defensive header back to the Osborn, looped over him but fortunately for the keeper it landed wide of the post.

Half Time:- Atherstone Town 3-1 Tividale

On 54 minutes it was Atherstone’s turn to have a penalty shout as they were adamant that there was a Tividale handball in the area but again the man in the middle waived away the appeals. Atherstone’s Lewis Collins then had a dipping effort that Connor watched all the way and hung on to.

On 80 minutes the home side missed the chance of the game when substitute Harry Jackson was through one on one with Connor, but he dragged his effort wide.

So, in the end there was no addition to the first half score and Tividale will be disappointed with their afternoons work.

Full Time:- Atherstone Town 3-1 Tividale

Tividale:- 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni (12. Cameron East 86), 3. Callum Gillies (15. Kamol Campbell 73), 4. Lewis Wright, 5. Joe Hawkins, 6. Joe Burroughs, 7. Taylor Townsend, 8. Jack Till (19. Lewis Taylor-Boyce 68), 9. Dominic Dell (17. Ewan Edwards 60), 11. Ryan Snape, 16. Max Morris (15, Cain Smith 68),

Unused Subs:- None