TIVVY ARCHIVE

The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club


Tiverton Town 2 - 3 Didcot Town

Tuesday 05/10/2010   Southern League Premier Division
Tivvy Archive

Andy Gunn powered a bullet header into the roof of the net just five minutes from the end of a pulsating game to help Didcot Town take all three points back up the motorway, leaving Tiverton Town wondering how they had managed to complete the evening empty handed. For despite trailing at the interval Tivvy made all of the running in the second half, deservedly got back on level terms, and could well have won the game themselves as the piled on the pressure. But Gunn’s header against the run of play was the third such goal Didcot had scored that evening, and the visitors proved that mistakes can be heavily punished.

The early moves were shared between the sides as Tiverton worked two chances decent but failed to test goalkeeper Sam Warrell. The first, from a corner taken by Alex Faux, was pulled back and Liam Ellis shot well over the top, and a little later Ellis himself delivered a deep cross which sat up delightfully for Ian Sampson but Morgan Williams backtracked just in time to nick the ball away. Warrell’s opposite number Ryan Draper did have to be on his guard and made a double save to deny the cultured Michael Alexis, parrying an initial shot and then smothering sharply as the Didcot midfielder reacted to the loose ball.

Just past the twenty minute mark Tivvy finally found a way through – Adam Faux’s long ball from deep found Jamie Densham in the area, and as the striker tried to twist inside he was scythed down by Gunn, handing the Yellows their second penalty of the competitive season. Kevin Hill took the responsibility from the spot, placed his shot one way as Warrell guessed the other way and the Yellows were ahead.

But they weren’t ahead for long and Didcot struck not once but twice towards the end of the first half to turn the game on its head. The equaliser came when Elliot Osborne-Ricketts stole the ball inside his own half as Tiverton messed up a routine throw-in, raced through the middle and then played a cutting through ball for Mark Draycott to latch onto. Draycott remained calm as Draper advanced off his line, the shot bobbling into the net off the foot of the post.

And on the stroke of half time Didcot nosed ahead when they again robbed Tivvy deep inside their own half and broke away with devastating effectiveness. This time it was a corner the Yellows messed up, Alexis quickly gathered possession and sprayed the ball wide to the impressive Josh Dutton-Black. The winger briskly advanced down the right and crossed to the far post where Draycott was once again in place to squeeze the ball into the net after both Draper and Jak Martin were unable to deal with Dutton-Black’s centre.

Tiverton rallied in the second half, and after former Diddy player Sampson had twice narrowly missed the target the Yellows once again got back on level terms. Adam Faux’s cross caused all sorts of confusion on the Didcot area, twice the selfless Adam Mortimer forced the ball back across goal, and finally Densham was afforded just enough space to ram in a shot that left Warrell helpless and left the stanchion vibrating with the vicious pummelling Densham’s shot inflicted.

Sampson finally got one on target but it was blocked, another superb cross from Mortimer out on the left was headed over by Gunn as both Densham and Sampson lurked, and the traffic was all one way. At least it was all one way until the final few minutes, and Tom Gardner needed to hack the ball away after Draper had saved but failed to hold Jordan Tabor’s low effort.

And then came the corner and the defensive substitution. Russell Jee replaced Alex Faux, Dutton-Black swung in the corner, Gunn found space ahead of Hill and the ball was in the net for the fifth time in the game, Draper with no chance and Tiverton with no answers during the last five minutes. Mortimer might have grabbed a point but glanced a free header wide in added time and Didcot held on for three points that they will savour considering the battering they received for more than half of the match.

Tiverton Town: Ryan Draper, Adam Faux, Alex Faux (Russel Jee 86), Ian Sampson, Jak Martin, Tom Gardner, Kevin Hill, David Steele, Jamie Densham, Adam Mortimer, Liam Ellis (Jamie Hatch 46)
Goals: Hill 22 (pen), Densham 60
Booked: Alex Faux 50
Sent off: None

Didcot Town: Sam Warrell, Jason Castello, Morgan Williams (Dan Jones 90), Michael Alexis (Michael Bartley 79), Alex Stanley, Andy Gunn, Josh Dutton-Black, Jamie Heapy, Mark Draycott, Elliot Osborne-Ricketts, Jordan Tabor
Goals: Draycott 39, 45, Gunn 86
Booked: Tabor 30, Alexis 69
Sent off: None

Attendance: 256

This report ©2010 Tivvy Archive