The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club
Tiverton Town 5 - 0 Bromsgrove RoversSaturday 17/03/2001 Southern League First Division | Nigel Davis |
Well‚ March hares along and it looks as if Tivvy´s February stutter can be consigned to history. Three victories‚ 14 goals and now‚ thanks to the news from Cossham Street where Mangotsfield held Hinckley to a 2-2 draw‚ Tivvy now have the meanest defence in the division. Also‚ with Redditch losing at Atherstone‚ the Ambers are now just a point away from fifth position. Teams must be quaking in their boots at the prospect of travelling to Ladysmead as 2001 has seen two sixes and two fives in the goals for column - and we´ve only hosted five Dr Martens League games this year. And any doubts that the swimming pool end is the one for goals were dispelled as Tivvy turned round 4-0 up in the mud. Stunning! Both sides showed their attacking prowess within the opening minutes but it was Phil Everett who won Tivvy a corner inside 20 seconds. And it was he who set up the first goal in the fifth minute‚ his cross from the right looked to be a little ambitious for Scott Rogers but he rose like a salmon to glance the ball past Elliott Morris‚ the latest incumbent in the Rovers goal. Six minutes later‚ Steve Winter - reputedly playing his last game at Ladysmead before returning to Basingstoke‚ the 3 months maximum loan allowed by the Dr Martens League being up in the next few days - slung in one of his characteristic hard and low crosses. The ball took a slight deflection off a Bromsgrove player before hitting the far post‚ its trajectory having deceived Phil Everett sliding into the net at the far post... Steve Ovens then got in on the act in the 22nd minute when he picked up the ball wide on the left just inside the Bromsgrove half. He accelerated past Adam Bayliss before cutting inside and slipping the ball neatly inside the near post leaving Morris flat-footed. No doubt Kevin Nancekivell´s run to the far post had kept him guessing. Eight minutes later Tivvy put the result beyond doubt with the third goal. Great teamwork started when Scott Rogers‚ totally unmarked‚ somehow managed to control the ball at head height with his studs. He then set off on a mazy run‚ linked up with Nancekivell whose sublime backheel to Phil Everett was enough to give him space to take on a defender before clipping the ball back across the box into space for Nance to ghost in and score with his head to add to the brace he notched in Tivvy´s last home game a fortnight ago. This was enough for Bromsgrove to throw Jamie Turpin into the fray in place of Dwayne McFarland. However‚ if they thought that this would stem the flow of goals‚ then they were sorely mistaken. When Everett was bundled off the ball by Lee Hughes six minutes later‚ a direct free kick was awarded just outside the Bromsgrove box. Up stepped Steves Daly and Winter and it was Wints that let rip‚ the ball crashing into the net off the visitors´ wall. He´ll remember that goal for a while‚ I´m sure. The second half was played in a mud bath and it was difficult for either side to play flowing football. Tivvy held the upper hand and came close to extending their lead through Phil Everett and Kevin Nancekivell before the three subs were giving their chance to dirty their kit. It was entertaining stuff but not a patch on the quality of the opening 45 minutes but‚ give both sets of players their due‚ they plugged away to keep the crowd warm. With 15 minutes remaining‚ Costas Xiourouppa (I hope I´ve spelt his name right) brought a fine save out of Paul Edwards‚ one of the few times that Eddie saw the ball all afternoon. Tivvy then went up the other end and a great piece of skill by Richard Pears set up Steve Ovens but his shot was underhit and the ball slithered to a halt in the mud‚ barely a foot from the goalline. Bromsgrove´s defence came to the rescue although‚ as the ball was hit away for a corner‚ two of their players landed up in the back of the net for their troubles. Judging by the comments flying around on the pitch‚ they had been set the task of keeping a clean sheet in the second half and they nearly achieved it. When Dave Toomey´s header hit the cross-bar in the 81st minute they breathed a sigh of relief and they almost had cause to celebrate three minutes later when substitute Philip Ashford managed to head the ball home but his effort was cancelled out by the assistant ref´s flag - offside being the reason. With four minutes left on the watch one of the few unsavoury moments of the game occurred. Bromsgrove´s skipper‚ Quinten Townsend‚ was annoyed at one of the refereeing decisions and hollered “Are you f***ing sure you twat?” to which Mr Miller blew up and awarded an indirect free kick to Tivvy. He did not even admonish the player‚ let alone proffer the statutory red card! I do despair at this blatant refusal by referees to follow FA guidelines. Something really ought to be done about this - and soon. Anyway‚ Tivvy - in the form of Steve Ovens - had the last laugh when the nippy striker belied the sticky conditions to race through and whip the ball past Morris for his second‚ and Tivvy´s fifth‚ in the 89th minute. A fitting goal to cap a fine performance. The way things are going he is determined to hold on to the number eight shirt and certainly looks worthy of it at the moment. Tivvy now wait until Thursday before they travel to Sutton Coldfield Town. No doubt they will be hoping that they will be allowed to take a kick-off there this season. Last season we witnessed Sutton kick-off both halves! Oh boy... Line up: 1 Paul Edwards‚ 2 Steve Winter‚ 3 Neil Saunders‚ 4 Paul Tatterton‚ 5 Nicky Marker‚ 6 Scott Rogers‚ 7 Kevin Nancekivell‚ 8 Steve Ovens‚ 9 Phil Everett‚ 10 Steve Daly, 11 Stuart Smith. Subs: 12 Pete Conning (Nicky Marker 59), 14 Richard Pears (Scott Rogers 62), 15 Dave Toomey (Phil Everett 59). Bromsgrove Rovers: 1 Elliot Morris, 2 Adam Bayliss, 3 Lee Hughes, 4 Quinten Townsend (captain), 5 Steve Frost, 6 Anthony Watson, 7 Dwayne McFarland, 8 Paul Lloyd, 9 Costas Xiourouppa, 10 Dean Wright, 11 Grant Beckett Subs: 12 Jamie Turpin (for Dwayne McFarland, 30m), 14 Kiel Somnall (for Paul Lloyd, half-time), 15 Philip Ashford (for Dean Wright, 56m) Referee: Dean Miller |
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