TIVVY ARCHIVE

Metropolitan Police 3 - 2 Tiverton Town

To be denied a share of the spoils or better by a superior opponent, the majority of players, fans, etc. can live with but to have to make the four plus hour cross country trek home on the back of a cruel injury time winner, after some more than questionable officiating, leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of those that suffer. The hosts will point to the fact they have only lost twice in the league this season to Swindon Supermarine and Gosport Borough, who are the Yellows next two home match opposition, which is form to be more than proud of but the Yellows pushed that record to the limit and were desperately unlucky not to leave Imber Court with at least a point. Levi Landricombe capitalised on a short back pass to fire the visitors ahead, Bayley Mummery equalised with his first touch after coming off the bench and Harrison Davis tapped home his first for the club only two minutes later before Jack Mazzone, who was sent off in the dying embers after picking up a second booking, drew the sides level from the penalty spot and substitute Johnny Gilbert curled home a free kick in injury time to seal the win, after Levi Landricombe had fluffed his lines from the penalty spot at the other end, dragging his effort wide six minutes before the end of, from a neutral perspective, a thoroughly entertaining second half. Captain Jamie Price (suspended) and defender Ben Mammola (unavailable) returned to the starting line up after missing the two-one defeat at Wimborne last time out, Josh Wadham missed the trip through injury while the hosts made two changes to those that had seen off Staines Town previously, Hippolyte and Knight replaced Birch and Guiness-Walker.

The first forty-five whistled by, largely uneventfully, with both sides playing neat football in pretty atrocious weather up until the final third where both defensive lines and goalkeepers were on top and clear cut opportunities for both sides were few and far between, Charlie Burns in the Met. goal did well to push a Callum Hall drive around his near post then Burns found himself in the right place to drop on the ball as it threatened to cross the line following a goal-mouth scramble from a corner after a Levi Landricombe shot had been deflected wide while at the other end countless Met. Police corners bore no fruit and Armstrong blocked bravely from Mazzone. The second half was a completely different kettle of fish though. Five goals, two Tiverton goals chalked off for “offside” as well as other incidents of note.

Six minutes after the restart Levi Landricombe fired the visitors ahead with his tenth league goal of the season, when he capitalised on a short back pass and smashed home past Burns and only a very dubious offside decision denied him and the Yellows a second after Bath had played him in on goal, a decision that would quickly come back to haunt the visitors as Bayley Mummery, who had only been on the field a matter of moments, tapped home the equaliser from McLaughlins pin-point cross. Five minutes later though the Yellows were back in front after Tom Bath won back possession high up the pitch, his pass found Levi Landricombe whose drilled effort was well saved by Burns only for the loose ball to fall perfectly for Davis to tap in his first for the club and only two minutes later the Yellows should have been given the chance to go further ahead when Levi Landricombe was clearly pushed to the floor inside the area only for the referee to deem it was outside and the resulting free kick flashed narrowly wide. Jack Mazzone, who scored the late equaliser in three-all FA Cup tie at Ladysmead earlier in the season, was handed the chance to draw the sides level again, this time from the penalty spot and he duly obliged despite Armstrong guessing correctly which way he would go after Mammola had been penalised for a high foot before Levi Landricombe was handed the chance to restore the Yellows lead from twelve yards, six minutes from time, after Mummery was guilty of the same offence as Mammola, Landricombe though dragged his effort wide after Burns had gone the wrong way. Mazzone, before his late dismissal, was again heavily involved in the hosts winner when his powerful run was illegally halted and from the resulting free kick, Jon Gilbert curled a spectacular free kick in to the top corner to break Tiverton hearts and steal all three points at the death although Man of the Match Michael Landricombe thought he had brought the sides level with a late header only for another questionable offside call to ruin the celebrations

Tiverton Town: Liam Armstrong, Josh Key, Callum Hall, Jamie Price, Ben Mammola, Tom Gardner, Harrison Davis, Max Smallcombe, Tom Bath, Levi Landricombe (Cameron Allen 90), Michael Landricombe
Goals: Levi Landricombe 51, Harrison Davis 65

Attendance: 96