TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 0 - 0 Hendon

The last time the two sides locked horns, a Phil Everett brace gives you some idea of how long ago it was, saw the Yellows make the long trek home from the back drop of Wembley Stadium victorious, in an FA Trophy tie way back at the beginning of 2001. Fast forward seventeen and a bit years and Hendons first ever visit to the Ian Moorcroft Stadium saw the sides play out a thoroughly entertaining goal-less draw, a first since the final day of last season for the Yellows, with the hosts coming closest to breaking the deadlock in the second half as both Tom Bath and Levi Landricombe were denied by the frame of the goal. Midweek new signings Josh Wadham and Cameron Allen made their debuts for the Yellows while the backline was missing the absent Ben Mammola, the injured Nick Hurst and as a result of his recent injury Tom Gardner, who was deemed only fit enough for a place amongst the substitutes while the visitors made two changes from those who had comfortably seen off Staines Town by five to one last time out, Luke Tingey and Cole Brown replaced Adam Pepara and Gianni Crichlow.

Barely sixty seconds on the clock before the first opportunity of the afternoon. Debutant Wadham released Levi Landricombe in on goal but the normally prolific forward could only drill his effort straight at Boness in the Hendon goal before opportunitites for the visitors came and went as Armstrong blocked bravely from Calcutt and Hippolyte-Patrick drilled well wide from the edge of the area and after a goal-mouth scramble shortly before the interval, a combination of defenders and Boness somehow managed to keep the ball from crossing the line, a perfectly placed assistant decided such despite Yellows claims to the contrary, after a Davis corner was headed goalwards by Man of the Match Michael Landricombe.

Superb interventions at the start of the second period from Landricombe and Price denied the visitors the flying start they were looking for, Rogers was denied by Boness at the other end before another superb Landricombe tackle handed the visitors another corner, with referee Kane uninterested in several Hendon players vociferous requests for a penalty. The other Yellows debutant, Allen, had looked lively on his debut, his final action of the afternoon saw a well struck left foot shot saved before Bath replaced him and the substitute was quickly in the thick of the action. Marginally flagged offside as Wadham, who also had an excellent debut, rolled him through on goal, Bath then diverted a Jordan Rogers cross-come-shot over the crossbar from close in and then after leaving two Hendon defenders trailing, Bath smacked a shot that cannoned to safety off the post.

As time was running out, the Yellows were laying seige to the Hendon goal in a desperate attempt to ensure all three points would remain at Ladysmead and cast the memory of last Saturdays final minute FA Trophy heartbreak further adrift, but ultimately to no avail, Jordan Rogers was denied by a brave Luke Tingey and from the resulting corner a Max Smallcombe delivery was only partially cleared and Levi Landricombes shot from the edge of the box was superbly tipped away by Boness with a huge helping hand from the crossbar.

Tiverton Town: Liam Armstrong, Josh Key, Callum Hall, Jamie Price, Michael Landricombe, Harrison Davis, Josh Wadham, Max Smallcombe, Cameron Allen (Tom Bath 65), Levi Landricombe, Jordan Rogers

Attendance: 275.