TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 1 - 0 Gosport Borough

Not a performance for the football purists but after what feels like an eternity there were no complaints at full time as the Yellows finally managed to register a home victory, beating Gosport Borough by a goal to nil, Levi Landricombes twentieth goal of the season in all competitions proving to be the difference, in the rearranged fixture after the initial fixture before Christmas was rained off. Granted, it has not been for a lack of desire and determination over the previous weeks and with more than the odd unfortunate rub of the green too, the Yellows had picked up just 6 points from a possible 30, the only victory in that period a 3-1 win at Frome in late December, since beating Staines Town back at the beginning of November but such is the compact nature of the league table currently, a hard fought and deserved three points saw Tiverton climb six places to tenth.

Aaron Bentley, drafted in on dual registration from Plymouth Parkway, was the chosen option to fill the void created by the absence of Tom Gardner after the legendary defender fractured his wrist in the narrow defeat at Weymouth, was the pick of the Yellows back line and thoroughly deserving of his Man of the Match award at full time but they were all superb and had the match gone on until midnight Gosport would still probably not have scored such was the determination and at times, dogged defending.

The latest strike from Landricombe, after just six minutes, is worthy of a place in the list of contenders for goal of the season and will rank highly among his personal favourites. Yetton flicked on a huge Armstrong clearance to Landricombe on the edge of the box before he turned and fired in one movement straight in to the top corner, Pat O`Flaherty the unfortunate Gosport goalkeeper not even given enough time to set himself let alone try to get anywhere near it, such was the purity of the strike.

After that though, apart from a huge penalty claim that was waved away after Landricombe was barged to the floor from behind and a couple of half chances, a chunk of the remainder of the match belonged to the visitors, especially during the second half as far as possession goes, so there was more than a sense of deja vous amongst nervous home fans the longer the match wore on after the previous home match had seen the Yellows take an early lead in the New Year’s Day fixture versus Dorchester before going down by the odd goal in five.

Craig McAllister, Gosport`s player manager and son in law to Tiverton manager Martyn Rogers evening lasted just over half an hour before David Jerrard replaced him and it was Jerrard that came closest to snatching a point late on, heading wide from close range, which would have been reward for their efforts but in the same breath harsh on the Yellows for the way they had protected their early given advantage and so a first clean sheet since the goalless draw with Hendon in mid-November.

Tiverton Town: Liam Armstrong, Josh Key, Callum Hall, Jamie Price, Ben Mammola, Aaron Bentley, Michael Landricombe, Steve Colwell, Stewart Yetton (Tom Bath 75), Levi Landricombe, Max Smallcombe (Scott Rogers 90)
Goal: Levi Landricombe 6

Attendance: 162