Midland Football League
Premier Division
Wednesday 3rd April 2024
Tividale 1-1 Romulus

Decent back to back performances

For the second time this season, Tividale followed a very good performance with another one even better two days later. Lets hope this is a light of a dark tunnel of a season and not just another train coming in the opposite direction.

Manager Stuart How made a number of changes to the side that beat Casuals, including youth team goalkeeper Roman Davies making his first team debut. The 8th youth team player to make the step up to the first team this season.

The game itself was really short of goalmouth action as both sides cancelled each other out. A Craig Gregg shot that went wide of the Romulus goal after 10 minutes was the first of the chances. Romulus’s Jack Sang then tested young Davies with a shot that he gathered comfortably after 18 minutes.

The next decent chance on goal, brought the opening goal of the game on 34 minutes. A Callum Gillies free kick from wide on the left and Joe Burroughs dives in tom steer it past Romulus keeper Lewis Gwilliams and into the back of the net.

Four minutes later and the visitors are level. Tividale fail to clear a ball into their box, Romulus striker Ryan Nesbitt is given too much time in the area and he pick’s his spot and fires past Davies. Tividale nearly restores their lead a minute later when a Gillies strike whistles past Gwilliams post.

Half Time:- Tividale 1-1 Romulus

Isia Marsilia had the first attempt on goal in the second period but again Davies took it comfortably on 49 minutes. in the 69th minute Tom Cole then found Gregg with a cross field ball but the midfielder couldn’t beat Gwilliams with his shot.

Gregg tried to become provider when he flashed a cross into the 6 yard box on 78 minutes but Gillies at the far post just couldn’t get on the end of it. then 7 minutes later another Tividale attack saw Cole play the ball into Ryan Snape who nodded the ball down to Powell but he put the ball wide.

the last 10 minutes saw the visitors build up a head of steam and Tividale were forced to defend under some severe pressure but they held out for the share of the spoils.

Full Time:-Tividale 1-1 Romulus

Tividale:- 1. Roman Davies, 2. Zac Kourouyianni, 3. Callum Gillies (12. Kamol Campbell 70), 4. Lewis Wright (15. Jack Bate 80), 5. Joel Harrison, 6. Joe Burroughs, 7. Craig Gregg, 10. Ryan Snape, 11. Callum Powell, 14. Tom Cole, 16. Jack Pearlman 

Unused Sub :- 9. Nashawn Blake, 15. Louie Preston, 18. Tarryl Davis

Midland Football League
Premier Division
Monday 1st April 2024
Wolverhampton Casuals 0-1 Tividale

Nothing Casual with this win

Tividale gained their second win of 2024 with a hard fought but in the end just about deserved with a Lewis Wright injury time winner.

Young Joel Harrison became the 7th of the current youth team squad to make a first team appearance this season and he lined up alongside fellow youth team player Callum Powell in the line up.

The opening 5 minutes was pretty much the two teams finding out about each other, the first moment of any note came on 8 minutes when Callum Powell crossed the ball in from the right for Tividale the Ball came to Callum Gillies on the edge of the box who had a shot blocked, the ball went back out to the right where another cross was put in and Jack Till hit an overhead kick which had no power and was comfortable for the Cassies keeper. 5 minutes later Cassies went close when a miss hit cross landed behind the Tividale goal, Louis Connor never looked worried, but I can’t say the same for us standing down the other end of the pitch.

Cassies went close again on 17 minutes when they were awarded a freekick just outside the Tividale box, the ball was well hit by the Cassies number 7 but went just wide of the left post. Tividale played a ball over the top on 21 minutes and Joel Harrison got onto the end of it and lifted it over Stan Amos in the Cassies goal, but it landed wide of the goal. Tividale played another ball over the top 3 minutes later this time Jack Till was on the end of it who was one on one with Stan Amos who made a good save low down to his left he then forced Till wide who rolled it back to Callum Powell who also saw his shot saved by Amos this time the Cassies Keeper was able to hold on to it and end the attack.

On 38 minutes Cassies were asking for a freekick on the edge of the Tividale box however the ref waved away the appeals, it was too far for us to tell if it was a foul or not, Tividale then got the ball and hit another ball over the top which Jack Till got on the end of again he drove into the box before hitting a tame effort straight at Amos in the Cassies goal. Deep in first half stoppage time Callum Gillies hit a shot from 25 yards which forced Amos into another good save at his near post, this led to a couple of Tividale corners where they were able to apply pressure but were not able to breakthrough the Cassies defence.

Half Time Wolverhampton Casuals 0-0 Tividale

The opening 5 minutes of the second half were pretty identical to that of the first half with neither team creating anything, the first chance of the half coming on 51 minutes when Cassies hit a shot straight at Louis Connor in the Tivi goal. There then seemed to be a couple of minutes where the Cassies back line forgot how the offside rule works appealing for 2 or 3 Offsides however it was clear to us that at least 2 or 3 defenders were playing the Tividale forwards onside on each occasion.

On 55 minutes the Cassies defence were appealing for offside but again the assistants flag stayed down Tivi were then able to cross the ball from the left and the ball was put over the bar at the near post. It was then Tividale’s turn to be frustrated with the assistant referee on 59 minutes a quickly taken freekick to Jack Till who put the ball into the back of the net, but the flag was up for offside, although we weren’t quite level with it, I have to say it did look like Till had run past 2 defenders. Cassies then went down the other end and a ferocious effort from about 25 yards went just over the Tivi goal. The final 30 minutes of 90 were a hard fought battle with neither team really causing the other too much trouble, the defining moment of the game came 3 minutes into stoppage time, when Jack Till playing on one hamstring got onto the end of a ball in behind the Cassies defence he was completely isolated and out wide on right, he did well to hold it upland and wait for support Till timed his cross perfectly to meet the run of Lewis Wright from midfield who was able to send the ball past a helpless Amos in the Cassies goal and give Tividale a late lead.

Full Time Wolverhampton Casuals 0-1 Tividale

A close encounter just edged by Tividale who I think on the balance probably just deserved it on their first half performance, Cassies definitely had the best of the second half but like Tividale in the first half were unable to convert any of their chances. Late goals are becoming a regular occurrence in this fixture now with 3 of the last 4 games between the 2 sides being settled in added time.

Tividale:- 1. Louis Connor, 3. Callum Gillies (12. Kamol Campbell 74), 4. Lewis Wright, 5. Joel Harrison (2. Zac Kourouyianni 74), 6. Joe Burroughs, 7. Craig Gregg (15. Louie Preston 69), 8. Max Morris, 9. Jack Till, 11. Callum Powell (10. Nashawn Blake 63), 14. Tom Cole, 16. Jack Pearlman 

Unused Sub :- 13. Roman Davies