TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 2 - 2 Swindon Supermarine

The Yellows current league form certainly does not make for great reading with only three points collected from a possible eighteen since their last win but the signs of recovery are there to see. But, to pick up only one point after twice taking the lead the latest outcome must go down as two points dropped as opposed to one point gained in the reverse fixture from that of the opening day of the season, in which the Yellows won 1-0 at the Webbswood Stadium thanks to a Levi Landricombe goal. This time, though, Tivvy had to settle for a share of the spoils in their final home match of 2018 as Swindon Supermarine twice came from behind, firstly after a third minute goal from Tom Bath before Ryan Campbell headed home six minutes after the interval and then as Josh Key grabbed his first league goal of the season on sixty five before Conor McDonagh fired in from close range to equalise ten minutes from the end of an entertaining match.

Steve Colwell, recruited from Bodmin Town recently made his debut in midfield at the expense of Harrison Davis while other recent recruits Isaac Furness and Lewis Tasker had to make do with a place amongst the substitutes alongside Davis and for the visitors, veteran `keeper Kev Sawyer replaced the absent through illness Will Henry in the only change for the visitors from those who had beaten Dorchester previously. Sawyers first involvement of the match, definitely not how he would have planned it, was to pick the ball out of the back of his net as the Yellows got off to the perfect start. Max Smallcombe was fouled midway inside the Swindon half, Levi Landricombe swung in the resulting free kick and the ball eventually fell to the feet of Bath who prodded home his sixth league goal from close range with just three minutes on the clock. Half chances for both sides came and went throughout the rest of the half, eventual Man of the Match Ben Mammola the main reason the visitors failed to make any inroads to the score in the first half while at the other end Bath was denied a second by the crossbar, Sawyer did well to keep out a curling Callum Hall shot and Jamie Price fired narrowly wide from a corner.

The second period was just six minutes old when the visitors drew level as Ryan Campbell headed a Stuart Fleetwood cross home past Armstrong at his near post and just short of the hour, with only Armstrong to beat, Conor McDonagh dragged a shot wide after bursting through as the visitors looked the more likely to score again and with only two recognised forwards now on the books for the Yellows, Cameron Allen returning to parent club Bristol Rovers, the signs were less than encouraging when Bath hobbled off, replaced by Isaac Furness, on the hour and Josh Key was pushed forward as Levi Landricombes new strike partner. Key responded perfectly though, firing the Yellows back ahead just five minutes later when he toe-poked home his first league goal from twelve yards after Michael Landricombe had headed down Davis` right wing delivery and only an outstanding save from Sawyer prevented Key from further extending the hosts advantage three minutes later and after Sawyer had kept his side in the match with his brilliant save from Josh Key, a portion of blame for the visitors equaliser unfortunately lands at the feet of his opposite number, Liam Armstrong. Ryan Campbell drifted in a free kick from the Swindon left, which Armstrong spilled at the feet of McDonagh, who was afforded the time and space to drill home from close range with only ten minutes left to play.
The final ten or so minutes whistled by with both sides looking for a winner but to no avail and a point a piece about the right result on the balance of play and the Yellows next fixture sees them make the shortest trip of the season to Taunton Town on Boxing Day.

Tiverton Town: Liam Armstrong, Josh Key, Callum Hall, Jamie Price, Ben Mammola, Tom Gardner, Max Smallcombe (Harrison Davis 63), Steve Colwell, Tom Bath (Isaac Furness 60), Levi Landricombe, Michael Landricombe.
Goals: Tom Bath 3, Josh Key 65

Attendance: 217