TIVVY ARCHIVE

The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club


Tiverton Town 2 - 1 Swindon Supermarine

Saturday 05/09/2015   Southern League First Division
Tivvy Archive

Swindon Supermarine used to be a bogey-side for Tiverton, but the roles seem to have been reversed lately, and the Yellows’ victory at Ladysmead extended their unbeaten run against the Wiltshire side to five games. It also means Tivvy have taken thirteen points from the last fifteen on offer and now sit sixth in the table, the highest they have been under Martyn Rogers since November 2008.

On the first half performance alone it could have been oh so different; Town showed only a few glimmers of constructive play, and laboured in the absence of good quality shooting, meaning they went in at the break trailing to an Ashley Edenborough goal.  It was a strike borne out of carelessness on the part of the hosts, and while Supermarine’s counter attack was as devastating as it was effective, Tivvy can point the finger of blame directly at themselves as they failed to make use of an attacking set piece and were quickly punished down their left flank.  A quick ball out from the back as the Tivvy move broke down lamentably, Luke Hopper skipped over a challenge, crossed, and Edenborough couldn’t miss.

By then Owen Howe had already failed to convert a great chance as he latched onto a through ball and danced around Swindon goalkeeper Matt Bulman, but his shot from a tight angle was scuffed badly and Bulman was able to regain his position and fall on the ball in plenty of time. Dan Western should have hit the target later on but rocketed a shot a couple of feet over, and James Richards had a couple of attempts that flew harmlessly high.  Meanwhile Swindon might have scored another but Ben Mammola, having casually given the ball away was quick to make amends with a fine recovering tackle.

Tiverton’s attacking threat was primarily focussed down the right and via the nimble feet of Dan Smith, and the winger was perhaps the only player in yellow to come through the first forty-five minutes with any credit.  Early in the second half he set up the equaliser, a deep free kick floated for Andrew Neal to volley past Bulman from close range.  Simple as it was, Swindon would have been disappointed to concede such a soft goal, but it gave Tivvy the impetus required to dominate the remainder of the match having been second best hitherto.

The visitors never really threatened Joe Perry’s goal after the change of ends, and Bulman was called upon to uphold the good name of the Goalkeeper’s Union with a number of solid saves.  Most notable was a low diving stop to tip Neal’s drive around the post as Tiverton piled on the pressure, and moments later he was up to the task of thwarting Western with a smart stop with his feet.

It was looking increasingly likely that the game would end with a point for each side despite Tivvy’s best efforts, and particularly the effervescence of Neal who chased everything and kept the away defenders wary that one slip could prove costly. And so it proved as Neal hit the by-line having raced onto Smith’s pass and cut the ball back into the middle for Alex Faux to prod the ball into the net four minutes from time. Smith was awarded the man of the match gong but Neal was really the difference between the sides; Supermairne may feel hard done by but Tivvy, led by the marauding Neal showed more desire and probably edged the game.


Tiverton Town: Joe Perry, Jake Wannell, Mikey William (Alex Faux 55), Ben Mammola, Tom Gardner, Rob Norrish, Dan Smith, James Richards, Owen Howe, Andrew Neal, Dan Western (Jamie Mudge 80)
Goals: Neal 47, Faux 86
Booked: Richards 19, Howe 32, Gardner 54
Sent off: None

Swindon Supermarine: Matt Bulman, Kyle Lapham, Ryan Morgan (Joe Shepherd 63), Ashley Taylor, Ross Adams, Jake Simpson, Bradley Gray, Chris Taylor, Ashley Edenborough (Connor Waldon 73), Luke Hopper, Jacob Davidge (Oli Bailey 73)
Goal: Edenborough 14
Booked: Morgan 57
Sent off: None

Attendance: 204


This report ©2015 Tivvy Archive