The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club
Tiverton Town 2 - 0 BidefordWednesday 09/04/2003 Devon St Luke's Cup | John Reidy |
It's just as well that when I say something 'gets up my nose' I'm only speaking metaphorically. So many things seem to be travelling in that direction lately that, were the expression to be taken literally, I'd need a nasal appendage far greater even than those sported by the late great Jimmy 'Snozzle' Durante or Walt Disney's Dumbo. Latest irritation up that particular passage has been the catch phrase being employed by the BBC in their advertisements, though they probably regard them merely as public information bulletins, for their upcoming radio programmes. 'Get a new perspective with Radio Two', is tagged onto all such 'trails' - and that means about six times an hour - thus inciting severe irritation and frequent sneezing fits from yours truly. So bad has it become over the past two weeks that in the interest of my continuing good health, I have succumbed to the saturation advertising and complied with their wishes. I've found a different perspective and re-tuned my radios to Classic FM! But the phrase was brought back to mind as the Devon Bowl Semi-final with Bideford approached. Four seasons ago fans of Tivvy regarded Local Derbies as games against Elmore. Taunton would be a crunch game, Chippenham a long trek, and Barnstaple, Bideford, Bridport etc. run of the mill. With Town's progress into the Dr Martens League, Clevedon, Weston, Weymouth and Bath City suddenly became 'local', and in comparison to the likes of Kings Lynn, Cambridge and Dover they undoubtedly were. So, without any help from 'Auntie Beeb', I had found a different perspective, and the visit of Bideford fully justified the 'Local Derby' tag if the updated criteria were used. Martyn Rogers took the opportunity to give a start to those players that had recently been spending the majority of their time on the substitutes bench and inevitably the changes begot a loss of the fluency that has been the hallmark of recent opening of Tivvy's games. Despite that it was Town that took the early initiative and Mark Coombes in the Bideford goal that was first to be called into action. Jamie Mudge was well fired up and motoring and in the 5th minute broke down the right and fed the ball inside where it was worked across field and back via Danny Haines and Chris Holloway before Steve Winter hoisted in a final cross that had Coombes stretching to touch the ball away for a corner. For the first quarter of an hour the visitors were content to allow The Yellows the majority of possession as they organised their back line, admirably marshalled by the impressively powerful and determined Darren Hawkings. Recent acquisition Ellis Laight, a man many Tiverton fans would have liked to have seen in a Yellow shirt when he was at his peak a couple of seasons ago, looked dangerous on runs he was making from midfield but with little support from the much vaunted Robert Gough, he was unable to mount any serious threat to Paul Edwards' goal. Winter was carrying the ball forward well and provided the cross that saw Kevin Nancekivell get a glancing header on target after 14 minutes but it fell comfortably into the waiting arms of the 'Robins' keeper. With the visitors defence being made to look perhaps more capable than they are by Town's slowness of build up there were few real openings for either side and it was not until the 26th minute that Eddie was called upon to make a save - from a long range and not particularly powerful Laight effort. As the game wore on, so Town's comfort with their revised line-up grew and they began to show their superiority. Chris Holloway robbed Lee Groves of possession in midfield and closed on the Bideford penalty area only to be closed down by two defenders and forced to settle for a corner, which Coombes confidently claimed. Haines sent Mudge on a left flank sortie and his cross was cleared but only as far as Paul Chenoweth whose drive from outside the box took a deflection but still ended up nestling against Coombes' solar plexus. 'Chens' was obviously enjoying his forays forward, as he had at Grantham five days earlier, and in the 37th minute was rewarded in similar fashion. Rob Cousins, captain for the day whilst Jason Rees sat it out on the bench, played the ball out from the Tivvy penalty area as another Bideford attack faltered against the solid yellow wall. The ball was collected by Chenoweth who fed it left to Mudge out wide. Jamie made ground down the wing but looked to have got himself trapped in the corner, before wiggling his way out along the by-line and laying the ball back to 'Cheno'. Typical strike from the Tivvy midfielder. A hard, slightly curling drive that was still rising as it hit the back of the net behind the flying Coombes who, even at full stretch, was never within a foot of the ball. Just a minute later Coombes was more fortunate as Richard Pears drove in an on target shot that the Bideford glovesman held cleanly at ground level, and the same keeper was twice more in action before the break to deny Jamie Mudge. Laight was still the only visitor to threaten but having bundled his way between Rudge and Steele sent his shot inches wide of the upright. No 'goal fest', but The Yellows were well worth their half time lead despite the fighting performance by the Robins. It might only be a memory but I seem to recall days, not so distant, when it was almost expected that Town's second half performance would be an improvement on their first 45 minutes. Perhaps it's a 'New Perspective' but the converse now seems to be the norm. On this occasion it could possibly be explained by the substitution of Chris Holloway in the 50th minute after he appeared to have taken a knock, though, with Scott Rogers comfortably slipping into his mid-field role there was no apparent reason for the change to cause any disruption to Tivvy's shape. And for ten minutes or so there was no sign of any change, other than it was Pears that tested Coombes a couple of times as the Yellows continued to have the better of things, once with a cracking shot after the ball was laid back to him by Nancekivell. More likely reason for the visitors coming more into the game was the triple substitution that manager Sean Joyce made in the 58th minute. Former England Non-League International Owen Pickard and Mike Southgate, top Bideford marksman in the Robins Championship and Cup Western League double last season were joined by wingback Alan Chapman in replacing the largely ineffective Gough along with Alex Crook and Leon Hapgood. Immediately the North Devon side looked more incisive and provided Edwards with the chance to prove his ability between the sticks. On the hour the Tivvy keeper was at full length to hold a Hawkings header from a free kick and eight minutes later the Robins skipper was again involved in a move that resulted in him swinging in a cross from the right hand corner that was sent goalwards by the flying header of Lee Groves, bringing a save that any keeper could be proud of from Edwards. Steve Ovens joined the action with twenty minutes remaining and set about the task of burning off as many calories as possible in the time allowed. His presence also fired Jamie Mudge to fresh efforts and we were treated to a run through the centre from his own penalty area to the opposite box, that culminated in a shot that had it been just inches to the left would have provided the goal of the season at Ladysmead. The game opened out and chances went begging at both ends. Southgate fired into the netting above the Devco end, Rogers replied with a similarly ballooned effort that made its way towards the swimming pool, followed by a slightly delayed instant replay from Haines as the last five minutes approached. The Yellows turned up the power for those last moments. Pears span and shot wide; Mudge tested Coombes with a rising cross come shot from wide on the left; Ovens delivered a cross from the right hand corner that Pears steered wide with his head. Town had ridden out their 'flat' spell and were finishing with a flourish. Just when it looked as if the old adage about Half - Nil, were it possible, being enough in cup football, Steve Ovens put the matter beyond doubt with the last Tivvy touch of the evening. Pears forced in a low cross from out on the right and Ovo crashed the ball past Coombes to send the Yellows to Plainmoor to take on Torquay in the Final. We'll have to remember not to sing 'Come on you Yellows' though. The Gulls will hardly need any encouragement from the Mid-Devon contingent. Tiverton Town: Paul Edwards, Steve Winter, Dany Haines, David Steele, Nathan Rudge, Rob Cousins, Kevin Nancekivell (Steve Ovens,70), Chris Holloway (Scott Rogers,50), Richard Pears, Paul Chenoweth, Jamie Mudge. Subs not used: Jason Rees, Phil Everett, Luke Vinnicombe. Cards: Yellow: None Bideford: Mark Coombes, Ian Down, Ben Rowe, Simon Langmead, Darren Hawkings, Matt Hare, Alex Crook (Alan Chapman,58), Lee Groves, Robert Gough (Mike Southgate,58), Ellis Laight, Leon Hapgood (Owen Pickard,58). Sub not used: Glen Duff, Stuart Smith, Cards: Yellow: None Referee: Mr Ian Ansell (Exeter). |
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