Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 22nd April 2023
Darlaston Town 1874 4-1 Tividale

Darlaston avenge first day defeat

Tividale travelled to the Paycare Stadium home of Darlaston Town 1874 for their final game of the 2022/23 season. It was also the venue of our first game of the season where we beat the host ‘s 4-0 in the FA Cup.

This time though there was to be no repeat as the home side eased to a 4-1 victory and the three points.

Tividale only made the one change from the win at AFC Wulfrunians a week ago with Malcolm Melvin coming in for David Solademi.

The following match report is courtesy of Darlaston Town 1874.

Darlaston Town started the game very much on the front foot, attacking at every opportunity from out wide, putting their visitors under pressure. Making sure Tividale’s defensive line was stretched. Darlaston were unlucky not to take the lead in the 12th minute a Rivel Mardenborough snapshot just shaving the outside of the far post following and angled drive.

As the game progressed Tividale found their feet with the impressive Jack Fletcher working hard always trying to get the visitors moving forward along with his midfield colleagues Jason Wood and Malcolm Melvin who were starting to break up giving their defensive partnership of Boroughs and Ezewele some rest bite.

Darlaston Town, took the lead on 26 minutes with an outstanding finish from Rivel Mardenborough, who restarted play with a quickly taken throw in, the ball fell to Mitch Botfield who’s well weighted through ball was met by the advancing forward, Mardenborough’ s powerful finish gave Tivi’s keeper Connor no chance and found the far side of the net giving Darlaston a deserved 1-0 lead.

The visitor’s response was to keep attacking the home side Dan Smith was starting to hold off the home defence, bring his teammates into play, Ellis and fellow forward Arman Khoshkhoo benefitting with efforts on Clarkson’s goal.

With just 8 minutes left to the interval the dominance of the game changed. Darlaston doubled their lead the busy Mason sending a 45-yard raking diagonal pass to fellow full back Jones, who just on the by-line pulled the ball back to ex Tividale man Downing, his sublime cross was met with a Reece Mason bullet header beating the static Connor.

Three minutes later after efforts on goal by Podmore, Mardenborough and Botfield following a corner, Mason’s shot was adjudged to be handled by Melvin by Referee Sudbury. Mardenborough who scored a hat-trick on Wednesday saw his effort save by keeper Connor.

Despite the disappointment the home support did not have to wait long for a third goal, and this was another outstanding finish by another ex-Tividale player Liam Wilkinson. Mardenborough after beating the offside trap had seen his effort save by the now busy Connor, he collected the ball out wide on Darlo’s left, and played the ball into the path of Wilkinson, his rocket of a shot went in via the inside of the left hand post to raise even more cheers from the home supporters giving Darlaston a three goal advantage two minutes before the half time interval.

.Half Time: Darlaston Town 1874 3-0 Tividale

The second half started much the same as the first, but both managers made substitutions starting around 55 minutes. Tividale scored in the 61st minute to give them a lifeline, the impressive and busy Arman Khoshkhoo took advantage of some unusual space on the edge of Darlaston’s box, his well struck right foot finish flew past Clarkson giving the visitors some hope of extending their five-game unbeaten run.

This was soon extinguished just two minutes later. A needless foul on Darlaston substitute Tyler Bruck proved costly. Mitch Bitfield’s free kick was met 12 yards out by the forehead of Liam Smith, his outstanding header from 12 yards out beat the again static Connor to give Darlaston a 4-1,

Full Time: Darlaston Town 1874 4-1 Tividale

Tividale: – 1. Louis Connor, 2. Zac Kourouyianni (16. Oliver Fluke 77), 3. Kamol Campbell, 4. Joe Burroughs, 5. Louis Ezewele, 6. Harry Lewis (17. Ryan Snape 33), 7. Malcolm Melvin, 8. Jason Wood (14. David Solademi 68), 9. Dan Smith (12. Nashawn Blake 54), 10. Arman Khoshkhoo (12. Reinaldo Forbes 77) , 11. Jack Fletcher.

Unused Subs:- None.