Midland Football League
Premier Division
Saturday 5th September 2020
Tividale 0-2 Long Eaton United

It’s a Long afternoon after a Long break for Tivi

Football was back at The Beeches for the first time since the 2-1 win over Selston on Tuesday 11th February 2020.

While off the pitch we thank everyone who was involved in the staging of this game with all the new COVID19 guidelines and regulations. On the pitch It did not go the the way we would have wanted but we did face a side that we feel will be up there at the end of the season.

Tividale boss Dave King went with the same starting eleven that edged past Stone Old Alleynians in the FA Cup in midweek

You sensed it was going to be a long afternoon from the kick off as the visitors immediately had Tividale on the back foot. After a succession of crosses and long throws into the Tividale box into the box that Tividale had done well to defend

On 11 minutes from a Jacob Barnes clearance James Shaw was able to put in another cross and Kam Campbell’s well directed header beat Tividale keeper Adam Harrison.

If anything the goal stirred the home side into life and on 20 minutes a Ryan Grosvenor run down the Tividale right ended with a cross that Long Eaton keeper Sam Wilson had no problems collecting. At the other end a Shaw shot was gathered by Harrison. Brad Welding then tried a long range effort that again failed to trouble Wilson.

Shaw then hit the side netting and Harrison cleared while under threat as the half came to a close with Tividale now getting a foot hold in the game.

Half Time: Tividale 0-1 Long Eaton

Tividale had a great chance seconds into the second half when from a Grosvenor corner Matt Hunt was foiled by a great Long Eaton clearance just as he was about to pull the trigger.

On 49 minutes the visitors doubled their lead with the important second goal. Tom Hurdman was adjudjed to have brought down the impressive Jamie Walker in the area and Walker then stepped up and from the resulting spot kick, sent Harrison the wrong way.

Chances where then at a premium with Long Eaton having the 2 goal cushion and Tividale unable to put them under any real pressure.

Substitute Jelson Antonio who was brought on at half time did have  a great effort on 70 minutes when he cut in from the right and his curling shot was only parried by Wilson but the keeper was able to collect the ball at the second attempt with Tividale striker Dan Smith bearing down on him.

The final chance of the game fell to Walker, when an unsuccesful  clearance from Hurdman fell nicely for him but his left foot volley cleared Harrisons cross bar

Full Time: Tividale 0-2 Long Eaton

 

Click HERE to see match photos from Tividale FC.

Click  HERE to see video highlights from Tividale FC.

Emirates FA Cup

Extra Preliminary Round
Tuesday 2nd September 2020
Stone Old Alleynians 0-0 Tividale
Tividale win 4-1 on Penalties

Tivi are Stone cold from the spot

Due to the late start of the season this was the first competitive game of the 2020-21 season and as expected, a very tight FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie the game ended goalless after 90 minutes. but it was Tividale that moved into the next round after a penalty shoot-out.

With much of the squad retained from last season manager Dave King gave debut to just two players. youngsters Will Rawlins at left back and Ryan Grosvenor on the left side of midfield.

in a fairly frenetic opening, it was Stone started the better and Samuel Wilson headed over after just 6 minutes. Wilson in the thick of the action a minute later when his free kick came back off the Tividale wall but William Bailey fired the rebound over the Tividale bar. Tividale’s first chance came in the 11th minute but Luke Carter dragged his shot wide.

Ryan Goodwin forced Tividale keeper adam Harrison into the first save of the game. Then almost immediately Ryan Grosvenor shot straight at Stone keeper Adam Alcock.

The game settled down a little then with stone enjoying most of the possession but Tividale’s well organised defence and midfield were able to deal with it and threatened themselves on the counter.

On the half hour both sides had great chances to open the scoring. First a misunderstanding in the Tividale back line allowed Jacob Vernon through on goal. Harrison blocked his initial shot and Tom Hurdman completed the clearance. Then in a Stone goalmouth scramble, Curtis Cocking twice had efforts blocked on the line by Stone defenders.

The half ended with Stone on top with Harrison pulling off a brilliant save and then Stone centre back Oliver Davies heading over

The second half was never going to be a repeat of the full throttle all action of the first half and if anything, Tividale slightly shaded it. Stone as in the first half looked comfortable on the ball but Tividale’s midfield were always on hand to intercept any loose pass and start an attack of their own and Grosvenor, Dan Smith and Brad Welding were willing runners at a tiring Stone back line.

Although, goalmouth action was at a premium . Tividale had the two best chances. Within seconds of Jelson Antonio coming on to replace Grosvenor he fired across the face of the goal and then Welding saw his free kick go a whisker past the post with Alcock stranded.

Tividale did find the back of the net when Smith curled his shot into the bottom right-hand corner on 82 minutes. The referee gave the goal but somehow his assistant ruled that a Tividale player was obstructing the view of the keeper Alcock

Full Time: Stone Old Alleynians 0-0 Tividale

Anyway 0-0 is how it ended and with no extra time it was straight to penalties. Luke Carter stepped up for the first one and made no mistake putting Tividale 1-0 up. Stones, David Ablewhite levelled with his kick 1-1

Brad Welding was next up for Tividale and he made it 2-1. Alcock did get a hand to it but the sheer power of the shot meant it still found the back of the net. Jacob Vernon then saw his spot kick come back off the bar. 1-2

Dan Smith then made it 3-1. Adam Harrison then pulled off a fine save to deny Dominic Thorley 1-3

It meant Tividale only had to score one of their last two spot kicks and up stepped Jelson Antonio and again Alcock guessed the right way, got his hand to it but could not keep it out 1-4 

So, Tividale go through to meet Market Drayton in the next round.

Penalties: Stone Old Alleynians  1-4 Tividale