TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 0 - 4 Weymouth

If you are one of those people that drift through life wondering why bad things always happen to you then you would have approached Ladysmead a fortnight ago almost drowned in premature resignation, knowing full-well that the one game you really wanted Tiverton to win would go absolutely against all of your hopes and desires. But don't blame yourself; you didn't lose against Weymouth, and both Sod and Murphy had already dealt the hands that ensured Martyn Rogers would return to his old haunt to lay a further nail in the Tivvy coffin. A fortnight on we can draw some encouragement and recite Johnny Cash ("Ain't no grave gonna hold my body down"), but at the time, at least at 4.45pm two weeks ago Ladysmead was wrapped in misery after the Yellows were well and truly humped by Weymouth.

It could have been oh so different had Jules Emati-Emati put a decent chance away when the scores were still level sixteen minutes in, but the striker – who began the season at Weymouth – was only able to help the ball over the crossbar having forced his way into space when latching onto Joe Bushin's cross. But even by that stage the writing was on the wall – Tom Gardner had been forced to clear one Weymouth effort off the line, another chance for the visitors found the back of the net only for the goal to be disallowed, and there was little to cheer for the home supporters.

Tivvy's two frontmen reversed roles on the half-hour mark but Bushin's low shot was comfortably saved by James Nortei, and before long 'Muff scored their first of the game. Lloyd Gardner, making his second appearance for Tiverton some four years after his first, had only been on the pitch for a few minutes when he conceded possession in midfield, and former Chelsea youth product Rob Wolleaston needed no second invitation to roam forward unchallenged before leathering in a shot from the edge of the area that had Ryan Draper stretching in vain to his left.

Weymouth were in the lead and in control as Tiverton offered little threat going forward, and Draper had to parry away a Lee Smith effort five minutes before the interval. In added time at the end of the first half, time added due to an injury to David Steele, the visitors scored for a second time, the first of three they would score from corner kicks. Smith curled the ball into the near post and Mike Fowler was on hand to head the ball home from close range. Weymouth deserved the two-goal advantage, and there were few signs that they would let slip a hugely important lead against their relegation rivals.

Tivvy improved for ten minutes at the start of the second half and actually played some pretty decent football, but carving out chances remained difficult and the only shot of note was a hopeful effort from distance by Russell Jee that flew well over the bar. And after riding the storm for a while Weymouth were able to comfortably stifle the game before scoring twice more in the final fifteen minutes. Goal three was not too dissimilar to goal two as Fowler again netted from a corner kick, and in injury time, after Wolleaston had chipped a cheeky shot just wide, Ben Gerring iced the Weymouth cake as Tivvy once more failed to deal with a corner kick.

There was still time for Ryan Turner to fire a shot across the face of goal, but Nortei was never threatened, and the Weymouth goalkeeper, who frankly didn't look the most natural shot stopper in the world, was allowed to go through the entire afternoon without having to make a save. Tiverton played as poorly as they have done all season, certainly under the reign of Mark Saunders, and a day that offered so much ended with so little; heads hanging and eyes aimed at the floor.

Tiverton Town: Ryan Draper, Alex Faux, Ryan Turner, Russell Jee (Michael Nardiello 66), Ian Sampson, Tom Gardner, Liam Ellis, David Steele (Lloyd Gardner 21), Jules Emati-Emati (Adam Mortimer 78), Joe Bushin, Ryan Leaonard
Booked: None
Sent off: None

Weymouth: James Nortei, Lewis Clarke (Ollie Tribe 87), Lewis Tasker, Mike Fowler (Matt Groves 84), Ben Gerring, Ed Palmer, Lee Smith, Rob Wolleaston, Warren Byerley, Jamie Mudge, Jamie Beasley (Nick Jacobs 69)
Goals: Wolleaston 37, Fowler 45+2, 75, Gerring 90+1
Booked: Gerring 41
Sent off: None

Attendance: 472