TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 2 - 0 Salisbury

From Meadowbank misery to one of - if not the best - team performance of the season. Goals in either half from Man of the Match Jamie Price ended the visitors six-match winning streak, and had the margin of victory been greater, there would surely have no complaints from either dug out. Influential centre-half Tom Gardner was restored to the starting line-up at the expense of Jordan Storey n the only change from last time out, whilst the visitors had to make do without in-form top scorer Justin Bennett.

Over the course of the season Tivvy have made a nice habit of going for the jugular straight from the off: six times they had taken the lead whilst the clock is still in single figures, and Price's close range finish after Levi Landricombe's blocked effort fell nicely to him made it seven times, with only 22 seconds registered. Salisbury though are not hot on the play-off heels of Tivvy without good reason: their recent six match winning runhad seen them hit the back of the net 25 times, but with Bennett missing and the Yellows defence superbly marshalled by captain Steve Kingdon alongside Gardner and Ben Mammola, clear cut chances for the visitors were few and far between.

The closest they did to come to drawing level before the interval was when Lewis Benson's free kick from 25 yards missed the top corner by a matter of inches, and when full back Adam Flint'scross eluded everyone Claudio Herbert could not apply the necessary finish. Tivvy worked a brilliant opportunity to double their half time lead but Landricombe, normally so composed in front of goal, blazed over after brother Michael's chest control had fallen to him

First half substitute Taurean Roberts was Tivvy's tormentor-in-chief in the second half, his left foot shot whistled narrowly wide early on and then headed wide when well placed after Tommy Wright had capitalised on a loose ball out of defence. Tivvy's second-half threat was on the break; good chances came and went before Price doubled the lead with his eleventh goal of the season; Michael Landricombe's precise through ball allowed Price to curl a beauty in to the far corner beyond the despairing dive of Alex Bass

Further chances to extend the margin of victory fell by the wayside, which mattered not come the final whistle. Owen Howe could have helped himself to a second half hat-trick on another day, but most importantly an excellent and thoroughly deserved three points were gained, and with other play-off contenders also dropping points, the race for the final positions is really starting to heat up

Tiverton Town: Joe Perry, Jamie Price, Nick Hurst (Jordan Storey 78), Ben Mammola, Steve Kingdon, Tom Gardner, Jamie Short, Michael Landricombe, Owen Howe (Tom Bath 87), Levi Landricombe, Scott Rogers (Ben Carter 83)
Goals: Price 1, 73

Attendance: 322