TIVVY ARCHIVE

The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club


Kings Langley 2 - 2 Tiverton Town

Saturday 15/09/2018   Southern League Premier Division
Jay Richardson

There was a large sense of “Déjà vu” in Hertfordshire and not just because the editor of this report was born 6 miles down the road in Watford. Wind the clocks back six months to Saturday 24th March 2018 and you would have seen a goalless first half between the two teams and a result of 2-2 with a late Kings Langley equaliser from Callum Adebiyi. This time around at the CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) stadium we had another goalless first half and another result of 2-2 but this time it was Kings Langley turn to “Cry Me a River” as in the Justin Timberlake song courtesy of a 15-yard thunderbolt of a free kick from M.O.M River Allen deep into time added on.

Tivvy lined up with Liam Armstrong in goal, the three “Rhinos” at the back of Tom Gardner, Benjamin Rocco Mammola and Captain Jamie Price. The wing backs were Josh Key (back from playing for Exeter V Tivvy in Midweek) and Wadebridge’s finest Nick Hurst. The midfield engine room was made up of Mike Landricombe alongside River Allen with Tom Bath playing just in front of them. The two attackers were Jordan Rogers fresh from his wonder strike in midweek v Exeter City and Levi Landricombe searching for his 101st Tivvy goal.

Tiverton started the first half well and were dictating play with River Allen pulling the strings. It was that man River Allen who took a dangerous freekick on five minutes that was well saved by Charlie Burns who put it out for a corner. Tivvy continued to press and a Levi Landricombe shot followed that went just wide of the Kings keepers post. Kings Langley’s attackers of Mitchell Weiss and Rene Howe (Ex Torquay, Kettering and various clubs) were being marshalled well by the Rhino club. On 21 minutes Tivvy had a great opportunity with Levi Landricombe playing in Nick Hurst who put over a trademark delicious cross that Jordan Rogers only just failed to connect as he bust a gut to get into the box and get on the end of it.  Tivvy continued to go forward and on 26 minutes Ben Mammola venturing into the final third found himself on the edge of the box and with an Italian esq” Francesco Totti” shot with the outside of his boot had Charlie Burns pull off a great save to put it round the post for a corner. The on-loan Hampton & Richmond keeper looked as impressive as last year’s keeper for the Kings Martyn Bennett.

The Hertfordshire team had their own opportunity on the half hour mark when Mitchell Weiss who had scored 94 goals in his career for Langley before this game broke free. Ben Mammola back in his usual territory snuffed out any chance though with a vital block putting his body on the line for the cause. A minute later Tivvy had their best chance Nick Hurst again provided a gorgeous ball whipped over from the left-wing position to Jordan Rogers but the header went just wide of the goal. The Kings responded, a Mitchell Weiss free kick was blocked on the line and then the best chance of the game came just before halftime Steven Ward turned well in the box, beat his defender but Liam Armstrong put out a hand to deny the Hertfordshire team from taking the lead. The half time score of 0-0 was surely not going to last the whole of the second half or would we get a repeat of last season’s game.

The Kings must have had a good half time team talk as they came out with renewed purpose and that man again Steven Ward had a glorious chance when on 46 Minutes a left-wing cross found him unmarked but somehow, he glanced a header wide of Liam Armstrong’s goal. Tivvy are made of stern stuff this season and it was no surprise that Levi Landricombe notched his 101st goal in Tivvy colours. A long ball out of defence was flicked on to Levi and from a full thirty-five yards the Plymouth goal-machine lobbed Charlie Burns to give the Yellows the lead.  Not to be outdone brother Mike on 50 minutes had a header that clipped the top of the bar and went out to safety. Tivvy were upping the anti with the “Pirlo” Esq River Allen playing further forward and dictating play it was great to watch. The vital second goal however didn’t come and all credit to Kings Langley they mounted their own charge. The equaliser came on 60 minutes when Mitchell Weiss found room twenty yards out and arrowed a shot low down into the right-hand corner of Liam Armstrong’s goal giving him no chance. Five minutes later the Kings had a free kick just outside the Tiverton box and buoyed by his earlier goal Weiss helped himself to number 96 in a black and white shirt via a small deflection again to Liam Armstrong’s right-hand side just inside the post. On 77 minutes Steven Ward had the chance to put the game to bed but he blazed over when well placed.

Tivvy knew they had to respond and Jordan Rogers was harshly denied a scoring opportunity when clean through by the referee who whistled for a foul on Levi Landricombe when the advantage should have been played. The injustice spurred Tivvy forward and on 83 minutes Jordan Rogers got on the end of a River Allen corner and with everyone expecting the ball to hit the back of the net Charlie Burns pulled off a stunning save to palm the ball away.

Not to be outdone Liam Armstrong the impressive Tivvy keeper on loan from the “Gas” (Bristol Rovers) kept Tivvy in the game as Rene Howe broke forward on a one on one with him. With Rene Howe just about to go around the keeper and score Liam sprung out a stretchable Inspector go go gadget arm to divert the ball. This was to prove a crucial save as Tivvy straight away piled on the pressure for an equaliser. M.O.M River Allen took centre stage with a pulsating run through the middle of the Kings Langley team deep into injury time only to be upended just outside the box. Looking like a man possessed, River took the resulting free kick and thunder bolted it through the wall and into the back of the net for a deserved equaliser. The final whistle went a few minutes later and that sense of “Déjà vu” came flooding back. If Tivvy and Kings Langley stay in this division it would be a wise man to go for another 2-2 back in Hertfordshire next season.

Finally, I must say that Kings Langley is a lovely club that is very welcoming. They won the award best away day in non-league for the 2016/17 season and it was thoroughly deserved. Bob Best the DJ through to the chairman, players and all the volunteers are a class act. They make you feel very welcome and no matter what the result on the day they make sure football is the winner. A lot of clubs could learn from the Hertfordshire outfit.


Tiverton Town: Liam Armstrong, Josh Key, Nick Hurst, Jamie Price, Ben Mammola, Tom Gardner,(Joel Randall) River Allen, Tom Bath (Harrison Davis) Jordan Rogers, Levi Landricombe, Mike Landricombe.
Goals: Levi Landricombe 47, Allen 88

Attendance: 155


This report ©2018 Jay Richardson