TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 7 - 1 Dunstable Town

The Yellows continued their recent up-turn in form with as emphatic a victory – their largest victory ever in the Premier Division – as you could wish to see, and in truth had the margin of victory been any greater than it was, it would have been no unfair reflection such was the home sides dominance. Tom Bath struck his first league hat-trick, Jordan Rogers bagged a brace, and this was added to by goals from Michael Landricombe and Jared Lewington; Dunstable Town’s consolation came from the penalty spot; and but for some fine saves, last ditch blocks and several attempts that struck the woodwork, the Yellows could have easily rattled up double figures. Much had been made of the season’s below-average attendances in the week building up to the match, with cheap entry offered to try and boost the crowd, and any Ladysmead newbies amongst the 288 would certainly have gone away happy with their decision to visit for the first time.

Owen Irish replaced Ben Mammola, who sat out the first of his three-match suspension, in the only change from the team which had seen off King’s Lynn two weeks earlier, as Nick Hurst remained side-lined with a troublesome hamstring. Dunstable, meanwhile, would have been looking to kick on from the impressive draw they picked up at Dorchester last time out. They had no answer, though, to the Yellows forward line: Levi Landricombe tamely shot straight at Dunstable stopper Will Hunt as early as the first minute, Jordan Rogers headed narrowly over and a Callum Hall corner landed on top of the crossbar as the Yellows dominated the first ten minutes, although they were given a brief scare as Andrew Osei-Bonsu’s pace got him to the by-line but his cross was too powerful for any of his colleagues to get on the end of , Bonsu then drew a smart save from Alexis André Jr soon after - as close as the visitors came to scoring in the first half. Rogers’ only league goal thus far was the fifth in the win at Gosport Borough back in January, so his joy at doubling that tally on twenty-one was clear for all to see, finishing neatly inside the far post after Bath had sent him through on goal, Bath then turned from provider to scorer on thirty three minutes, tapping home from six yards after Hunt had saved well from Hall and then headed home his second and the Yellows third two minutes before the interval, getting on the end of Levi Landricombe’s pin-point cross, after another impressive Hunt save from an Irish piledriver.

The ball had already been in the back of the Dunstable net, ruled out for offside, when Rogers added his second and Tivvy’s fourth two minutes into the second half when Levi Landricombe had seen his chip come back off the crossbar, and Bath completed his treble soon after, finishing emphatically after Levi had played him through on goal. On any other day Tiverton’s star striker would have scored – no exaggeration – at least five; chance after chance came his way to break his recent scoring duck but either excellent saves from Hunt, interventions from the frame of the goal, or just rotten luck stopped him. It mattered not though, as his attacking partners were clearly in fine form and Rogers was prevented from claiming a hat-trick of his own by the linesman’s flag before the visitors scored their consolation, Ariel Amu sending André Jr the wrong way from twelve yards after Michael Landricombe had tripped the impressive Osei-Bonsu, Michael soon redeemed himself with one of, if not the longest range goals seen at Ladysmead: Dunstable had already been reduced to ten men, full back Peter Kioso less than impressed with referee Underhay’s decision not to award a second penalty was dismissed for two cautions in a matter of seconds, when stopper Hunt injured himself making a clearance and was replaced `in the sticks` by centre half Kieran Ogden. Had Hunt still been custodian, he would surely have prevented number six: Landricombe launched a free-kick from inside his own half, towards the crowded penalty area, which sailed over everyone including Ogden, and despite the makeshift keeper’s best efforts, it nestled in the corner, and Jared Lewington rubbed salt into gaping wounds, drilling home number seven emphatically from the edge of the area in stoppage time, after he had been denied several times in the half-hour he spent on the pitch.

Tiverton Town: Alexis André Jr, Jamie Short, Callum Hall, Michael Landricombe, Owen Irish, Tom Gardner, Tom Bath, George Rigg, Jordan Rogers, Levi Landricombe, Scott Rogers (Jared Lewington 59)
Goals: Jordan Rogers 21, 47, Tom Bath 33, 43, 49, Michael Landricombe 76, Jared Lewington 90+1

Attendance: 288