Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 1st February 2020
Tividale 1-1 Romulus

Romans Stalled

On a pitch that was heavy in places and fine in others and also a gale force wind to contend with, Tividale battled their way to a point against one of the title contenders.

With Jacob Barnes, absent Matt Hunt came back in to partner skipper Dan Bryson at centre back. and Tyree Clarke came in for Sam Prince as Manager Dave King reverted to a 4-4-2 line up.

As predicted the visitors were quickly out of the blocks and Lewis Archer had the first attempt on goal after just 2 minutes, dragging his shot wide. Tividale were soaking up the Romulus pressure and hitting them on the counter and on 14 minutes the plan worked as Curtis Cocking after some good work down the right played in Clarke and he rifled his shot into the roof of the net.

The visitors came roaring back and on 22 minutes Adam Harrison in the Tividale goal did well to block an Archer shot. Archer was first to the rebound and his cross into the area was headed over his own bar and to safety by Dan Bryson. Tividale had a great chance to extend their lead 2 minutes later when Dan Smith found Liam Wilkinson on the edge of the Romulus box but Wilkinson lofted his shot over the bar.

In another frantic couple of minutes around the half hour mark in the home penalty area. Tom Fishwick had a shot blocked by Bryson. Jordan Nadat had a header saved by Harrison and Nadat had a free header from a Alex Tomkinson corner again well saved by the Tividale keeper. and finally a Chad Degville-Cross – cross found it’s way to the Tividale back post were it was met by full back Niall Rowe but he shot wide.

Tividale did have the last couple of decent chance of the half. First on 40 minutes a Brad Welding corner was headed goal bound by Matt Hunt but a Romulus defender headed it clear. Then on the stroke of half time. After great work by Smith he teed up Darragh Bustin but he shot over the Romulus bar.

Half Time:-Tividale 1-0 Romulus

The second half started as the first one did with Romulus on the ascendency. On 56 minutes Dean Rathbone tried his luck with a free kick from distance that cleared the cross bar. Bustin then broke down the Tividale left beating two Romulus defenders. His cross found Cocking 8 yards out but he put his shot over the bar.

Romulus got the equaliser their play deserved on 71 minutes. When Rathbone met a corner with a looping header that beat everyone and nestled in the back of the net. The closing minutes of the game provided some  frantic end to end stuff but neither team could snatch the winner. The best chance being in the 85th minute when Nadat burst through a static home defence but Harrison was on hand to save the resulting shot

Full Time:-Tividale 1-1 Romulus

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 25th January 2020
Tividale 0-0 Coventry Sphinx

Sphinx stalemate

Both sides have a little leeway over the bottom three coming into this game but they are both still having to look over their shoulder’s as both sides had only won one in their last 6 league games. Throw into the mix a heavy pitch and this was never going to be a classic and so it proved.

With Tom Hurdman and Matt Hunt absent and Lewis Probert transferred to Lye Town in midweek. New signing Samuel Prince started on the right side of midfield and the other new signing Ryan Boothe on the bench.

Sphinx had the better of the first half and their first chance on goal came in just the 6th minute when Lewis Noon blazed over the bar after good work from Liam Cairns. Minutes later and Noon was nearly in again when an Adam Harrison clearance hit him on the back and could have gone anywhere but thankfully it bounced harmlessly clear and the keeper was able to regain possession. Colin Smith was then denied by Harrison at his near post. Smith then went on a mazy run on 15 minutes but again he hit his shot high and wide.

Tividale’s first chance on goal came on 26 minutes when Darragh Bustin got free but although his shot beat keeper Tom Cross it also went wide of his far post. Colin Smith then had another great chance when a neat Callum Woodward chip was headed wide by the forward. Smith turned provider in the 37th minute when he out muscled the Tividale defence played the ball into Noon but Harrison pulled of a brilliant save to deny him.

The half ended with the two number 10’s Noon and Bustin having speculative long range shots. But both were comfortably saved by Harrison and Cross respectively.

Half Time:-Tividale 0-0 Coventry Sphinx

Sphinx’s Smith had the first chance of the second period but his 47th minute shot lacked the power to trouble Harrison. Two minutes later and Tividale’s Dan Smith headed a Brad Welding free kick wide.

It was not until the 67th minute that the next decent effort on goal arrived and once again it was Harrison on hand to turn a Woodward shot over the bar. Cross then foiled Bustin at his near post. Harrison then saved a Scott Hammond shot with his legs.

Tividale had the final chance of the game when a Luke Carter header from a Bustin free kick sailed wide of Cross’s post.

Full Time:-Tividale 0-0 Coventry Sphinx

 

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 18th January 2020
Haughmond 2-1 Tividale

The Monds snatch late winner

No one at Tividale thought that this season would be easy and after two relegations and a promotion it would be fair to say that we are a much more resilient club as a whole. This would be the sort of game that would test what we have achieved so far. Up against a club whose fortunes over the last couple of seasons have been similar to ours. A side that will battle until the final minute and beyond.

We went into this one with 2 debutants. Adam Harrison a loan signing from Bedworth in goal and Jakob Burroughs younger brother of our full back Joseph in a central midfield role.

From previous encounters between the teams Tividale must have known about the threat of Carl Rogers at throw in’s that are literally anywhere in our half and in the first few minutes a couple of those throws caused some dodgy moments in the Tividale penalty area, but somehow they survived and settled into the game. The first Tividale attack on 7 minutes could have produced a spectacular opener when Darragh Bustin volleyed a Brad Welding cross wide. Then Welding himself fired an effort goal wards but was deflected out for a corner.

Everyone in the ground will wonder how Tividale did not score in a first half were on two occasions either side of Haughmond’s 20th minute opener they peppered the home goal, but some inspired defending and goalkeeping by Sam Jones denied the visitors.

Haughmond did have their chances and with a bit more composure in their finishing could have worked Harrison. But they did score from their first shot on target when Matt Hunt was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box. It did look a harsh decision considering how close the two players were together. Anyhow the prolific Steve Hole stepped up and gave Harrison no chance from the spot. Zac Hartley then tried an effort from distance but Harrison held it comfortably before half time.

Tividale would have felt that despite conceding the penalty the amount of chances that Bustin, Welding, Dan Smith amongst others had and not converted in that half they should have been at least level.

Half Time:- Haughmond 1-0 Tividale

Tividale started the second period with another flurry of strikes on goal. First a Smith shot was parried away by Jones. Then Bustin had an effort turned round the post and from the resulting corner skipper Matt Hunt’s header was well held by Jones. Tividale were level on 58 minutes when from a Haughmond corner, Jakob Burroughs won the ball on the edge of his penalty area and found Bustin with a pass sprayed out left. Bustin in turn fed in Smith who placed the ball past Jones and into the back of the net.

Both sides had chances to go ahead but both defences were surviving on a mixture of luck and determination. But with a couple of minutes left on the clock. Tividale gave away what can only be described as a soft free kick and young Luke Ward stepped up and placed the free kick beyond the diving Harrison and into the back of the net. There was no coming back from that for the visitors and Haughmond took the three points.

The winning goal just about summed up the game. In the previous 88 minutes Tividale must have had 5 or 6 free kicks around the edge of Haughmond’s penalty area but was only made to work for just one of them.

Full Time:- Haughmond 2-1 Tividale

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 11th January 2020
Tividale 1-2 Stourport Swifts

Stour take a swift 3 points

After going down to those two last minute goals a week ago. It would have been good to take something away from a team up their with the title challengers.But alas it wasn’t to be and despite the lad’s giving their all Stourport took the spoils.

Goalkeeper Louis Connor was made captain for the day, with this being his last appearance for Tividale before going off to pastures new and a job in the USA.

It was Swifts that started on the front foot and pressed the home side back and Nick |MacPherson saw his first effort flash wide after only 2 minutes. 5 minutes later and a Martin Slevin corner was also headed wide by Matt Hanson. Skipper, keeper Connor then had to make a great double save to keep the scores level. First he parried away a Drew Canavan scorcher straight to Jack Downing but again he was equal to it.

The visitors were threatening to run riot in these first 15 minutes but the Tividale defence stood firm as Downing headed wide an Aaron Brett cross and then Cross himself blazed over when Downing returned the compliment. Tividale did have half a chance in the 22nd minute but Darragh Bustin just failed to pick out Tyree Clarke in the box after doing well down the Tividale right. The home side possibly had the best chance of the half when Dan Smith was played through. Stourport keeper Dominic Richards did well to keep out his initial shot, the ball then fell for Clarke but with the keeper beaten defender James Timmins just got a block in.

Swifts ended the half as they began first Connor did well to turn a Slevin free kick on 38 minutes around the post and from the resulting corner taken by Slevin, MacPherson tried a near post header but could not find the target.

Half Time:- Tividale 0-0 Stourport Swifts 

Swifts started the second period as they did the first with MacPherson shooting wide and then Slevin tried one from distance on the hour that also cleared the bar. After being superb in defence for so long, Tividale would have been disappointed in how they conceded the first goal after 67 minutes. A ball across the box was not dealt with and there was MacPherson at the back post and 3 yards out with a simple tap in. Connor prevented Swifts from going 2-0 up a couple of minutes later when he did well to deny Downing.

Tividale’s tenacity paid off on 72 minutes when from a Bustin free kick Swifts failed to clear and Joe Burroughs turned the ball home. The game now was in the balance and though Swifts did the majority of the pressing the Tividale back line were looking comfortable until 8 minutes before the 90 when Swifts produced a carbon copy of their first goal. A ball across the home area no one dealing with it and this time Downing found the target.

Full Time:- Tividale 1-2 Stourport Swifts