TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 0 - 2 Poole Town

After the Lord Mayors show the crash back to earth with a bump and whilst some reactions at the full time whistle to the latest defeat are best not published, the frustration felt by the majority is understandable. The midweek victory, whilst not the prettiest footballing spectacle, over Gosport Borough was one of graft and determination and nothing more than the Yellows deserved yet the manner of the defeat to Poole Town was a polar opposite. Barely an effort on target worthy of mention in the ninety or so minutes and as disjointed a performance right across the pitch as has been seen at the Ian Moorcroft Stadium for a good long while. The visitors had been on a pretty poor run of form prior to their latest match, collecting just three points (D3 L3) from a possible eighteen and so the expectation of another Yellows victory prior to kick-off was understandable but had Poole won by more than they eventually did, it would have been no real surprise.

Just thirteen players were available for the Yellows at kick-off. Veteran defender Tom Gardner (broken wrist) is several weeks off a comeback, Harrison Davis served out the last of his enforced three match absence and Lewis Tasker declared himself unavailable only hours before kick-off while the visitors made just one change from those who had lost one-nil to Dorchester previously, Jez Bedford replaced Josh Alowode-Williams and included the newly acquired midfielder James Boote, on loan from AFC Bournemouth, amongst their substitutes and for all their possession and control over the opening forty-five minutes, it took them until the final of those minutes to take the lead when James Constable scored with the last kick of the half after he was afforded the time to control Jack Dicksons cross before thumping high past Armstrong. Constable was again heavily involved as the visitors doubled their advantage ten minutes after the re-start when his through ball, after some excellent control, released Luke Roberts in on goal and the pacy winger finished calmly past the exposed Armstrong, much to the obvious pleasure of the vocal travelling support behind that goal.

The longer the remainder of the match wore on the more desperation set in amongst the Yellows as they sought a way back in to the match but, as Gosport had found previously, the winning defence was in no mood to be breached and the visitors comfortably saw out the remainder of the match, a Stewart Yetton looping header that Cairney comfortably saved underneath his crossbar in the dying embers of the match as close as Tivvy came to reducing the deficit and as close as they had come to scoring all afternoon. Next up for the Yellows is a trip to Hendon, who themselves have found points hard to come by in recent weeks, in fact they have lost their last eight league matches and in order for the Yellows not to be dragged closer to the relegation zone, a must win before Merthyr Town visit Ladysmead at the end of the month.

Tiverton Town: Liam Armstrong, Josh Key, Callum Hall (Isaac Furness 65), Jamie Price, Ben Mammola, Michael Landricombe, Tom Bath, Steve Colwell, Stewart Yetton, Levi Landricombe, Max Smallcombe (Scott Rogers 69)

Attendance: 223