TIVVY ARCHIVE

The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club


Bashley 2 - 2 Tiverton Town

Tuesday 20/02/2001   Southern League Cup
Nigel Davis

A pulsating Dr Martens League Cup tie ultimately ended in frustration for Tivvy in the picturesque setting of the New Forest at the home of Bashley FC.

One wonders if Tivvy's press officer‚ John Fournier‚ is the jinx as another rare foray into the world of away games saw him witness yet another upset. Harking back to the game at Cinderford swimming pool last season when a late penalty save denied Steve Daly's last ditch chance to salvage a point‚ followed by the unexpected draw in the last game at Rocester and now this game which hinged on numerous penalty decisions - some given‚ some not - Mr Fournier has been the common factor. Coincidence - or fate???
Whatever‚ it was a cracker of a game with Bashley taking the game to Tivvy and forcing a number of early corners - mainly due to the heroics of goalie Paul Edwards. One effort‚ in the fourth minute‚ from Craig Davis - a 30-yard curler - was tipped behind by Edwards and was typical of his early antics.

Then "new boy" David Steele‚ son of Hedley‚ came close to opening his account with a great effort four minutes later which brought about Tivvy's first corner - Geoff Sim having fingered the ball over the bar.

But‚ apart from a chance for Kevin Nancekivell who came close with a header‚and a long range shot from Steve Winter that was pushed around the post at the last moment by Sim‚ followed by another great effort from Dave Toomey‚ Tivvy's clear cut chances were few and far between. And moments after that Toomey strike‚ Edwards was back in the thick of it to foil Phil Andrews as the game ebbed and flowed.

With seven minutes to go before the break‚ the veteran Dave Puckett scored a vintage goal‚ looping the ball over Edwards and seeing it go in off the farpost. But Bashley's advantage was quickly squashed when Winter hit a hardshot from outside the box after Phil Everett had scampered down the left wing before passing to the on-loan midfielder from Basingstoke. So hard wasWinter's shot that it stung Sim's hands before bouncing back into the path of Richard Pears who crashed the ball home for the equaliser.

The second half saw Tivvy camp in their hosts' half - with Bashley's first serious attempt to enter Tivvy's box taking over 20 minutes to come. They were being run ragged and some dodgy tackles were creeping in as they wilted under the pressure but‚ despite the constant onslaught‚ it really didn't look as if it would be Tivvy's night.

Midway through the half‚ Bashley started to push forward and‚ in the 73rd minute‚ they found space and with only sweeper Steve Daly to beat‚ the inevitable happened - Daly caught his opponent as he went to take the ball off him and a penalty was awarded. Up stepped Craig Davis and Bash were 2-1 up.

In an attempt to save the tie‚ Steve Ovens came on for David Steele with eleven minutes left on the watch and‚ five minutes later‚ Tivvy were incensed that a foul on Dave Toomey in the box went unpunished. Bashley were riding their luck. They then introduced the fresh legs of Graeme Gee for Stuart Cooper and then‚ in the 89th minute‚ took off Simon James‚ replacing him with Simon Elley. James had trod a fine line in the preceding 20 minutes and was lucky not to incur the wrath of the ref for two pretty awful lunges.Elley was to prove to be of the same mould.

But it really all looked academic as‚ with a minute of stoppage time having been played‚ it looked as if Tivvy were on their way out of the competition. But we should have had more faith because Steve Ovens then popped up in the danger area and‚ using his extra turn of speed‚ managed to shoot home under the surprised Sim and force the game into extra time. A few seconds prior to the end of normal time‚ the ref finally found his pencil and cautioned Bashley's Darren Robson.

It had been an interesting game so far‚ especially as Martyn Rogers had sent the Ambers (playing in white tonight) out with a totally different game plan to usual.

With Nicky Marker injured‚ Stuart Smith unavailable and Pete Conning out with the flu‚ he played Steve Daly as sweeper in front of custodian Paul Edwards‚ Paul Tatterton and Neil Saunders as defenders. Steve Winter and David Steele alternated in midfield and as right wing-backs with Phil Everett at left wing-back. He then had a midfield of Scott Rogers with Kevin Nancekivell playing in the hole behind front runners Dave Toomey and Richard Pears. And when Steele was replaced‚ it was to add another pair of legs up front in the guise of super-sub Steve Ovens.

But now it was do or die and Bashley brought on their final sub‚ Robbie Harbut‚ for Dave Puckett whilst everyone else caught their breath in preparation for extra time.

Within seconds of the restart‚ Elly was booked for a two-footed challenge as he attempted to make himself known. Then‚ Tivvy were awarded a penalty - not that the ref knew anything about it. It was his assistant who spotted the foul on Scott Rogers but Dave Toomey blasted the spot-kick against the cross-bar. As the ball came back into play, Graeme Gee stamped on Steve Daly's leg and, with the ref appearing to be writing on red, it looked as if he would meter out the punishment that this cynical challenge deserved. However, Gee stayed on to fight another battle and, before the ref blew for half-time, Steve Winter was added to his list of miscreants.

The second period saw Steve Ovens come close and then we had Richard Pears booked. A few seconds later, having ignored a vociferous tirade of obscenities from Geoff Sim, the ref decided to book Phil Andrews for dissent- even though the free kick he had just awarded went Bashley's way. When will refs wake up to the fact that they have been told to dismiss players for swearing? It really is getting intolerable when a blast as loud as this went unpunished by the officials.

With three seconds to go, Martyn Rogers withdrew Paul Tatterton and brought on Luke Vinnicombe. One wonders why???

So to the shoot-out:-
First off Steve Winter put Tivvy ahead, only for Phil Andrews to level. Then up stepped Dave Toomey. Why??? We had plenty of others capable of taking a penalty and he had already proved that this was not his night. And so it proved as this one cleared the bar (cross) and the bar (drinks). Craig Davis showed how it should be done with his second successful conversion of the game.

Steve Daly had no problems with his and neither did Ben Thompson. Kevin Nancekivell then made it 3-3 before the drama continued as Simon Elley's penalty was saved by the feet of Paul Edwards. To everyone's disbelief it was ordered to be retaken and Elley made no mistake this time. Scott Rogers then shimmied up to make it 4-4 but it was all to no avail as Darren Robson crashed home Bashley's fifth to send them through to a quarter-final tie in Welsh Wales at Newport.

One final comment is that you will have noted that Phil Everett was not in the first five penalty takers. This also seemed a little strange with Toomey having already shown his frailty from the spot. Hey-ho.


Tiverton Town: Paul Edwards, Steve Winter, Neil Saunders, Paul Tatterton (Luke Vinnicombe 120), David Steele (Steve Ovens 79), Scott Rogers, Kevin Nancekivell, Dave Toomey, Phil Everett, Steve Daly, Richard Pears

Bashley: Geoff Sim, Craig Davis, Andy Darnton, Darren Robson, David Goss, Simon James (Simon Elley 89), Ben Thompson, Dave Puckett (Robbie Harbu 91), Stuart Cooper (Graeme Gee 84), Phil Andrews, Jimmy Anderson

Attentance: 176


This report ©2001 Nigel Davis