TIVVY ARCHIVE

The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club


Tiverton Town 5 - 2 Bridport

Saturday 06/08/2011   Friendly
Tivvy Archive

The final warm-up match saw Mark Saunders select the strongest team available with an eye on the big kick-off and a trip to Gosport Borough the following week. There were two absentees, Tom Gardner and Jules Emati-Emati, so Liam Ellis slotted into the defensive line and Michael Nardiello partnered Joe Bushin up front. And Nardiello took full advantage of the opportunity and all but cemented his place in the starting line-up fom the opening league fixture by grabbing a hat-trick, his first since back in the days when he was playing for West Bromwich Albion reserves, while Bushin and Owen Howe completed a strong showing for Tivvy’s strike force by helping themselves to a goal apiece.

Bridport provided the opposition and, much like those days of yore when the Yellows were playing in the Western League, the less illustrious opponents took the lead thanks to Tom Richardson’s looping far-post header. But Nardiello equalised on the half-hour with a low shot from the edge of the area to underline Tiverton’s attacking threat, and although there were a few hairy moments defensively the hosts always looked as if they could score when on the front foot. Bushin’s perseverance on the right led to Nardiello sliding in a second on the stroke of half time, and just before an hour was up Nards secured his hat-trick when Paul Kendall won a high ball, Bushin nodded on and the former Baggie was in place to sweep the ball home. Nardiello turned provider for Tiverton’s fourth of the afternoon, spreading the play wide to the left for Bushin to cut in and beat Sam Filkins with a well placed effort, but at the other end, after a couple of strong saves, Ryan Draper was beaten for the second time by Richardson as Bridport refused to cave in. The final goal fell to Howe in the last minute when he latched onto a smart reverse pass from Ethan Phillips to squeeze the ball past Filkins via both posts, giving Tivvy a 5-2 victory and allowing the team to head to Hampshire in good spirits.

Tiverton Town: Ryan Draper, Ian Sampson, Alex Faux, Kevin Hill, Paul Kendall, Liam Ellis, Chris Onoufriou, David Steele, Michael Nardiello, Joe Bushin, Harry Nodwell
Substitutes: Liam Pike, Josh Searle, Ethan Phillips, Owen Howe, Adam Mortimer

This report ©2011 Tivvy Archive