TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 1 - 1 Farnborough

Sometimes the writing of a match report is made phenomenally easy by what happens on the pitch for ninety-odd minutes and then on the odd occasion, it becomes quite a difficult task to write much more than a few lines. See the second part of the previous statement for the latest offering. The Yellows and Farnborough had only drawn on one previous encounter, the first time the sides had ever faced each other in an FA Cup tie not far off 24 years ago, and the two matches could not have been any more different from one another. Match one saw the then Conference side fall four goals behind only to draw level and take the tie to a replay (in which the Yellows ripped up the form book and won 5-1) whilst in the second draw, in dreadful conditions on the back end of Storm Callum, another Jordan Rogers header cancelled out an earlier Andrew Sealey goal.

Rogers, who had missed the midweek cup defeat at Met. Police due to illness, returned to the starting line up at the expense of Joel Randall and Harrison Davis replaced Scott Rogers while the visitors, who had lost one-nil to bottom of the table Chesham United last time out, were without forward Connor Calcutt who had joined Hendon but welcomed goalkeeper James Stroud back to the side to take his place between the sticks instead of Sam Mason. Livewire Farnborough centre forward Perry Coles, who had replaced the departed Calcutt in the starting line-up, was causing the Yellows back line some nervy moments early on with his pace but was lucky to escape a caution when he caught Armstrong late, only moments after Davis had gone into the referees notebook for a similar challenge and then Armstrong did well to punch clear with Coles bearing down on him before the first shot on target of the afternoon brought about the opening goal on twenty-eight minutes, Michael Fernandes precise through ball released Andrew Sealey, who skipped past Hurst and fired high in at the near post to deservedly give the visitors the lead.

It took the Yellows just ten minutes to reply though, after Price had marginally over-hit a through ball towards Levi Landricombe, Nick Hurst had blazed over when well-placed and a Michael Landricombe shot was deflected behind for the corner that brought about the leveller. In an almost identical replica to the equaliser Rogers scored in the recent 4-1 win over Basingstoke, whereby he was quickest to react and flick a header in at the near post from a River Allen corner, only this time it was Davis` excellent inswinging corner and only brilliant defending from Fearn, who got back to tackle Bath and Pepara cleared off the line from Levi Landricombe to prevent the Yellows from having a half-time lead. Chances came and went in the second period for both sides to take the lead, excellent saves from Stroud denied Price and Rogers before at the other end Armstrong saved superbly from Coles, as he raced through on goal and an even better save from goal scorer Sealey, second half substitute Ethan Phillips volleyed a Hurst cross wide and in as near as makes no difference the final action of the match Stroud tipped a Hurst free-kick just over the head of the waiting Jamie Price.

Tiverton Town: Liam Armstrong, Josh Key, Nick Hurst, Jamie Price, Ben Mammola, Tom Gardner, Harrison Davis (Ethan Phillips 75), Michael Landricombe, Tom Bath, Levi Landricombe, Jordan Rogers (Joel Randall 75)
Goal: Jordan Rogers 38

Attendance: 232