Midland Football League
Tuesday 11th October 2022
Worcester City 1-3 Tividale
Tividale convert chances and points

Tividale came from behind in dramatic late fashion as they scored twice in stoppage time to secure a 3-1win over Worcester City at Claines Lane. City’s Ethan Moran broke the deadlock in sensational style with a thumping effort from 25 yards that found the top corner of Peter Hawk’s goal. Tividale should have levelled through former Worcester winger Taylor Townsend shortly after the break, but the equaliser did arrive on the 64th minute through Zac Kourouyianni header.

The visitors had been the better side in the second half and late on they hit City with a double blow in injury time as Dan Smith bobbled one home in the 90th minute before Townsend wrapped up the points with the final kick on the counterattack was a tight and even affair for the opening 40 minutes with neither keeper being forced into any serious action.

Tividale’s Peter Hawk palmed away an early free kick from Cameron Ebbutt whilst a promising attack from the visitors ended with Jacob Burroughs blazing one over the bar. Bailey Fuller had a half chance inside the Tivi box, but he was otherwise kept quiet in a game that struggled to really get going. But the home side took the lead against the run of play when Moran found himself free 25 yards from goal and with no one closing him down, he picked out the top corner in sensational style.

And then with the last kick of the half, City almost doubled their lead through an unlikely source as centre-half Tyreace Brown thundered a strike against the inside of the post.

Half Time Worcester City 1-0 Tividale

The visitors started the second half with more purpose and should have been level within a couple of minutes after a long ball beat left-back Sam Whitton over the top and Jack Downing’s inviting square ball was played into the feet of the arriving Taylor Townsend but the former City winger could not apply the finishing
touches from a matter of yards with the goal at his mercy.

City settled into the second half and began to dominate possession but were not threatening a second goal and looked content with the 1-0 lead. And just after the hour mark, that lead had vanished as Tividale drew level through right-back Kouroyianni as his thumping header crashed in off the underside of the bar following an in-swinging corner. Chances remained few and far between but there was time for Tividale to pinch all three points.

Kouroyianni had almost got himself another before a mistimed headed clearance from Dan Okojie fell to substitute Dan Smith, who scuffed it over the line from inside the box to win it in the 90th minute.
City pushed for an equaliser but were hit on the counterattack with time up as Townsend made up for his earlier sitter to wrap up the points

Full Time Worcester City 1-3 Tividale

Tividale: – 1. Peter Hawk, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3. Jack Fletcher, 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Joe Burroughs, 6. Matt Hunt, 17. Taylor Townsend, 8. Jason Wood (17. Ryan Snape 76), 9. Jamie Hunt (14. Dan Smith 58) 10. Malcolm Melvin (16. Ryan Snape 60), 12. Jack Downing

Unused Sub: 13. Louis Connor, 18. Lewis Taylor

Midland Football League
Saturday 9th October 2022
Tividale 1-1 Uttoxeter Town
All square with Uttoxeter

There wasn’t much to report in the opening stages of the game as both teams were just sussing each other out and it took 15 minutes for the chance to become about and it was a half chance at best, as Uttoxeter crossed the ball into the Tividale box, and a soft header looped towards the goal which was comfortable
for Peter Hawk in between the sticks.

Tividale took the lead on 19 minutes from their first real opportunity of the game with Zac Kourouyianni heading home a Taylor Townsend corner for his second goal of the week. Tividale went close from another corner on 24 minutes this time the header went just wide of the Uttoxeter post. Kourouyianni popped up in the
left-hand side of the Uttoxeter box and lashed a ferocious effort which forced the Uttoxeter keeper into a full stretch save and turn the ball behind for a Tividale corner. On 30 minutes another Townsend free kick whizzed past Uttoxeter keeper Jack Tolley’s post. On 37 minutes the visitors failed to clear their area and lewis Taylor Boyce put his effort wide.

Uttoxeter had their first good chance on 39 minutes with a Joel Dyche effort from the edge of the box which went over the bar. Uttoxeter drew level 2 minutes later making their sustained pressure pay off as Jack Hussell hits a powerful effort into the bottom corner Peter Hawk got his fingertips to it but was unable to keep it out.

Half Time Tividale 1-1 Uttoxeter Town

Tividale had the first effort of the second half on 47 minutes with an effort from 25 yards which was dragged wide of the goal. Tividale almost retook the lead a minute later when Jack Downing played a wonderful ball across the Uttoxeter box to find Townsend his effort back across the keeper which came back off the post
and away. On 52 minutes another Downing cross found Townsend. This time the Uttoxeter had their first effort of the half on 54 minutes with a Dan Harper shot which was well over the bar. Then on the hour Uttoxeter forward Paul Hughes tried a shot from distance that Hawk saved comfortably. Then 6 minutes later he was through again, this time Hawk had to save with his feet. On 74 minutes another Downing cross found Townsend but his shot was blocked.

One miinute later Uttoxeter’s James Curley had a free header and an open goal that he put over the bar. On 78 minutes Tividale played a ball over the top which Jamie Hunt got on the end of and spotted the Uttoxeter keeper off his line he lifted the ball over him, but it landed on the roof of the net. A minute later Uttoxeter went close with an effort which wrong footed Hawk and the ball went just past his left post. Uttoxeter went close again on 81 minutes when the ball was crossed into the Tividale box, and the ball was forced over the Tividale bar from inside the 6-yard box by Uttoxeter sub Harry Baines.

Tividale had the final chance of the game in the 95th minute with a freekick whipped into the box and Curtis Cocking rose highest at the back post, but the slightest of nudges from the defender meant Cocking got
under the ball so was only able to send his header over.

Full Time Tividale 1-1 Uttoxeter Town

Tividale: – 1. Peter Hawk, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3. Jack Fletcher (15. Brad Welding 68), 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Joe Burroughs, 6. Matt Hunt, 17. Taylor Townsend, 8. Curtis Cocking, 9. Lewis Taylor Boyce, (14. Jamie Hunt 68) 10. Jason Wood (16. Ryan Snape 60), 12. Jack Downing (14. Jack Fletcher 54)

Unused Sub: 13. Louis Connor, 18. Ibrahim Almane

Midland Football League
Saturday 1^st October 2022
Tividale 2-1 Market Drayton Town

Tividale find it tough at the market

 After Tuesday’s first half capitulation nothing less than a victory would seem to matter in this clash against bottom side Market Drayton Town. And the outpour of relief in the dressing room after the final whistle was not a slur on our game opponents but just showing how much we needed this result, and it could have all ended so differently.

Manager Dave King was able to bring back the returning Matt Hunt into the heart of the defence. Also, into the first eleven where Jack Downing, Jack Fletcher, and Zac Kourouyianni. In place of Joe Burroughs, Ryan Grant, Jamie Hunt, and Alex Cameron.

Tividale got off to the worst possible start when after dominating possession and playing almost entirely in the Drayton half. After 9 minutes a Drayton break away and after Peter Hawk was forced to parry a shot Drayton’s Durell Manhertz was first to react and put the visitors 1-0 up. Brad Welding had an effort from a free kick go wide on 15 minutes and a minute later Taylor Townsend had a shot comfortably saved by Drayton keeper George Scott.

After 18 minutes Tividale centre back Louis Ezewele was forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury and replaced by Joe Burroughs.

As Tividale stepped up the pressure Hunt headed over a Townsend corner on 25 minutes. Drayton could have doubled their lead on 31 minutes. When a defensive mix up allowed Daniel Churm in on goal, but his shot was blocked by Hunt. Dan Smith looking for his 100^th Tividale goal made an opening for himself to get off a shot in the 38^th minute but Scott had no problems with it.

Drayton had the last decent chance of the half when Callum Griffith strolled forward and tried his luck from about 25 yards that sailed high and wide.

Half Time Tividale 0-1 Market Drayton Town

Drayton had the first chance of the second half on 49 minutes when again Tividale gave the ball away. Callum Knowles was the benefactor this time, but he drilled his shot wide of Hawk’s post.

Two minutes later and the home side where on level terms. A free kick into the Drayton penalty area is not cleared and the ball breaks for Smith to sweep home for his 100^th goal for the club. On 54 minutes Churm tried a volley from just inside the box that Hawk got behind to save. Jakob Burroughs tried one at the other end that flew wide.

With the game going into the last 30 minutes Townsend had a shot brilliantly blocked by a Drayton defender. The rebound came out to Smith, but he could not beat Scott. Manherz then set up Isaac Shaw after a great run, but Shaw could not find the target. On 68 minutes Jakob Burroughs then found Downing with a great ball and his low cross into the 6-yard box was turned away for a corner. From the resulting corner Hunt nodded the ball back from the back post but Downing’s shot went straight at Scott.

On 75 minutes Tividale took the lead. From a Welding free kick, whipped into the area. It beat everyone and nestled inside Scott’s far post. Another Welding free kick on 80 minutes was again met by Hunt and this time his knockdown found Smith, but his volley was blocked on the line. Tividale were now in charge and on 84 minutes had a great chance to increase their lead when after a great passing move between Townsend, Ryan Snape and Lewis Taylor-Boyce ended with the latter just unable to get his shot off.

Full Time Tividale 2-1 Market Drayton Town

Tividale: – 1. Peter Hawk, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3. Brad Welding, 4. Jakob Burroughs, 5. Louis Ezewele (15. Joe Burroughs 18), 6. Matt Hunt, 7. Taylor Townsend, 8. Curtis Cocking (16. Malcolm Melvin 85), 9. Dan Smith (18. Lewis Taylor- Boyce 84), 10. Jack Downing (19. Jamie Hunt 73), 12. Jack Fletcher (14. Ryan Snape 67)

Unused Sub: 13. None