TIVVY ARCHIVE

The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club


Aylesbury 0 - 0 Tiverton Town

Saturday 22/10/2011   FA Trophy
Tivvy Archive

Liam Watson was the single player that shone in a competitive yet futile battle as Aylesbury and Tiverton locked horns for the first time on Saturday. Not only did he twice save from Kevin Hill, free of his marker and able to pick his spot at the far post, but he also pulled off a terrific double-save to deny Ian Sampson, threw himself and his ample frame full-length to the left to palm away a bullet effort from Aaron Dawson, and most notably made a brilliant triple-save to bat away Michael Nardiello’s penalty, the same player’s follow-up attempt and then Mark Saunders desperate shot from point-blank range. It must be said that Watson’s kicking left something to be desired, particularly in a first half where he regularly sliced the ball inadvertently towards the touchline, but that really would be nit-picking because he did what he had to do perfectly, and that is why Aylesbury secured a return trip to Devon.

Tivvy were not a fluid as they can be but still had much the better of the first half, Hill making space for himself in the tenth minute to meet Sampson’s corner only to head down and into the grasp of Watson. Seven minutes later Watson had been exposed as Nardiello raced past Ben Stevens and it looked as if the gloves would be required again, only for Watson to clip the Tivvy striker in the area and earn himself a booking – the only yellow card of the match – as well as gift Town a penalty. Nardiello’s spot-kick was weak, low and left from the point of view of the kicker, Watson guess or read it right, dived right and made the save, leading to the two subsequent saves from Nardiello again and then Saunders, the last of which was smothered and held safely.

Hill’s second chance came from Josh Searle’s free kick and the result was identical to the first, headed down but more or less straight at Watson, and then Dawson felt the full force of the Aylesbury goalkeeper’s form when his thirty-yarder was clawed away in spectacular fashion. Sampson had a chance a minute or two before the break but the shot was deflected over the top, and the same player, after the resulting corner move broke down, drilled in a shot from a tight angle which was goalbound but for the canny positioning on the line of David King. Saunders reacted instantly but King stood his ground to clear off the line again, saving his team twice in the matter of two seconds. Rob Goldney had earlier made a goal-line clearance of his own when Nardiello beat the advancing Watson to a long ball humped upfield by the underworked Chris Wright and looped the ball goalwards – a mismatch of a first half had somehow ended without a goal to cheer.

Whatever was said at half time spurred Aylesbury on and they were more than a match for Tivvy from the restart, but seldom did they threaten to break a deadlock that was determined to stay intact. Wright made a good save to thwart Simon Martin early in the second half, Dom Marsala blazed up and ugly after excellent work on the right from Simon Orphanou, and later in the game substitute Sonny French fired wide having been teed up by fellow sub Lamar Simpson, this time the move coming down the Aylesbury left.

The introduction of Joe Bushin and Harry Nodwell did little to reignite Tiverton’s game, but Sampson’s double-chance could still have won it for the Yellows, only for the increasingly impressive Watson to ensure he picked up a much-deserved bottle of bubbly as the official man of the match. There was no arguments about that call, not many others in a game that was contested keenly and fairly. Tivvy were the better side in the first half, Aylesbury stronger in the second half, particularly on their right flank, and on numerous occasions Alex Faux was left stranded in a two-on-one situation but defended with fine judgement to slow the threat and allow his teammates to regroup.

Aylesbury: Liam Watson, David King, Jeanmal Prosper, Greg Williams (Sonny French 38), Ben Stevens, Rob Goldney, Jamie Rudd (Lamar Simpson 72), Dom Marsala, Scott Orphanou, Simon Martin, Kieron Schmidt
Booked: Stevens 17
Sent off: None

Tiverton Town: Chris Wright, Liam Ellis, Alex Faux, Kevin Hill, Aaron Dawson, Tom Gardner, Ian Sampson (Harry Nodwell 72), Mark Saunders, Michael Nardiello (David Steele 90+3), Jules Emati-Emati (Joe Bushin 79), Josh Searle
Booked: None
Sent off: None

Attendance: 111

This report ©2011 Tivvy Archive