TIVVY ARCHIVE

Evesham United 2 - 2 Tiverton Town

STOP PRESS!!! Tiverton Town are actually a damn good side when they put their minds to it! Against Clevedon this was proven; against Evesham they really had to dig in but again played some excellent football. Sadly they only did this for the second half and by then the Yellows were chasing the game having failed to wake up and having fallen a couple of goals behind. At least two Tivvy players bemoaned the fact that they only start to play once they are behind, and last weekend there was not a truer word spoken – Town were awful in the first half, dropped behind to a Marcus Palmer goal, and then fell further in arrears when Jamie Hyde was left with a free headed to double Evesham’s advantage at the start of the second half. But Tiverton composed and played, Mark Saunders pulled one back six minutes from the end and Mike Booth headed home the equaliser in added time, his first goal of the season.

The first period can be summed up briefly – it was terrible from both sides. Adam Mortimer and Joe Bushin both sent shots straight at Nathan Vaughan in the Evesham goal, Jamie Hatch and Richard Groves sent shots well over the bar, and at the other end Hyde pulled a low shot wide. United took the lead in the 37th minute when Vaughan’s clearance was helped on my Joshua McKenzie and Palmer planted a firm shot into the bottom corner, almost a carbon copy of Elliott Durrell’s goal for Hednesford at Ladysmead seven days earlier.

With the first attack of the second half Evesham were two goals to the good as Anthony Watson crossed deep from the right and Hyde was on hand to send an easy header into the net at the far post. Tiverton had yet to string anything together and there was little optimism amongst the travelling support that the trip home would be accompanied by anything other than the memories of a flat defeat. But Tivvy showed their mettle and quickly began to boss the game. There wasn’t the fluency of Tuesday’s victory at Clevedon, but when chasing the game that is to be expected. However, there was urgency and more importantly a belief that the game could be salvaged and this positive mentality eventually paid dividends.

Joe Bushin played Jamie Hatch in and the midfielder’s shot brought out a decent save from Vaughan, and five minutes later Mortimer was denied when his shot was deflected wide for a corner off the boot of Watson. Elliott Frear, surprisingly left on the bench was introduced at the expense of Tom Gardner as Tivvy threw caution to the wind and played with just Booth and Nathan Rudge in defence. Evesham couldn’t capitalise when they were presented with a couple of counter attacks with men over, and Mortimer could have levelled had he made better contact with a Frear cross fifteen minutes from the end.

Hyde was booked for a cynical tug back on Alex Faux as Tiverton poured forward desperately, and it was Faux himself that made the crucial play six minutes from time. From wide on the left he pumped the ball forward; Richard Pears won the ball on the penalty spot and nodded down perfectly into the path of the advancing Saunders. One big swing, one perfect contact and the ball flew into the roof of the net, unstoppable!

As the game entered added time Frear shot and Vaughan saved and that appeared to be that. Vaughan punted the ball upfield but the game continued, just long enough for one more surge. Tivvy won a free kick midway into Evesham territory, a few yards in from the left touchline. Marshall chipped the ball into the area, United’s Steve Hands couldn’t clear and only helped the ball towards the back post where Booth was waiting to gleefully nod the ball into the unguarded net.

Evesham United: Nathan Vaughan, Anthony Watson, Jamie Hyde, Steve Hands, Steve Lutz, Michael Hayden (Rory Curtis 77), Simon Fitter, Mark Hands, Marcus Palmer, Andy Ducros (James Cooper 60), Joshua McKenzie (Dexter Ravenhill 56)
Goals: Palmer 37, Hyde 48
Booked: Hyde 81
Sent off: None

Tiverton Town: Steve Book, Richard Groves, Alex Faux, Mike Booth, Nathan Rudge, Tom Gardner (Elliott Frear 66), Jamie Hatch, Colin Marshall, Joe Bushin (Richard Pears 69), Mark Saunders (Lee Collier 90), Adam Mortimer
Goals: Saunders 84, Booth 90+2
Booked: None
Sent off: None

Attendance: 126