TIVVY ARCHIVE

Basingstoke Town 3 - 3 Tiverton Town

Those fans that had made the trip, some of the playing staff too for that matter, would have been forgiven for thinking `here we go again` with memories of the 6-2 thrashing that was dished out by the hosts last season at The Camrose Stadium but there was to be no repeat as the Yellows brilliantly battled back from trailing two-nil at the interval and three-one to leave their Hampshire based hosts wondering what on earth had happened. Goals from Sam Smart and Harry Pearse seemingly had the hosts in control at the break, Stewart Yetton sparked hopes of a comeback with the first of his two for the afternoon before Sam Deadfield dashed those hopes and restored the two goal advantage instantly. The Yellows, however, hadn`t finished and they completed the comeback to leave with a share of the points with two goals in little more than a minute, firstly from Michael Landricombe and then a second for Man of the Match Stewart Yetton.

The Yellows started exactly as they had done when they lost two-one at home to Kings Langley last time out, although that line up lasted little more than quarter of an hour as Steve Colwell had to be replaced and Harrison Davis only lasted the opening forty-five, both of whom will surely be doubts for the Yellows next outing, to Walton Casuals. The Dragons meanwhile made two changes from those who had won four-two at Wimborne previously, Rackley was chosen instead of McGill in goal and Sam Argent, who scored four times in last seasons defeat, replaced Ben Wright up front.

The hosts had enjoyed the lions share of territory and possession early on and when they took the lead on twenty-two minutes it was no real surprise, Smart`s long range effort too hot for Armstrong. The Yellows, though, created chances and were unfortunate not to draw level, Rackley superbly tipped a Jamie Price header over the crossbar and from the resulting corner Levi Landricombe was adjudged to have fouled Rackley as he headed home what he, and others, thought was the equaliser and whilst the Yellows were cursing their luck the hosts, in added time at the end of the half, added their second as Harry Pearse drove forwards before unleashing a powerful, accurate drive in to the corner of Armstrongs net.

The second half, initially, appeared as if it would spiral out of the control of referee Scriven as cautions were handed out to Messrs. Pearse, Mammola and Stow before five minutes had been played, order soon restored though and it was the hosts who appeared more likely to score next in the early exchanges, that until Josh Key and Levi Landricombe combined down the Yellows right before the latter crossed and Yetton headed home from close range to halve the deficit. That deficit was increased less than sixty seconds later as last seasons chief tormentor Argent played a delightful through ball for Deadfield and the midfielder drilled high past Armstrong for three-one.

It has been the Yellows never-say-die attitude that has, on occasions, seen them drag themselves out of the mire and three-one became three-two on seventy four minutes when Michael Landricombe headed home a Stewart Yetton cross and the comeback was completed just a minute later after a Max Smallcombe free kick had caused all sorts of panic in the Basingstoke defence and eventually Yetton swept home his second of the afternoon to complete the comeback and an outstanding save with help of the frame of the goal from Armstrong denied Argent and Basingstoke a winner before Bath almost fluked a winner as his cross, with Rackley beaten, bounced back in to play off a post.

Tiverton Town: Liam Armstrong, Josh Key, Jordan Dyer, Jamie Price, Ben Mammola, Tom Gardner, Michael Landricombe, Steve Colwell (Max Smallcombe 17), Stewart Yetton, (Callum Hall 90), Levi Landricombe, Harrison Davis (Tom Bath 46)
Goals: Stewart Yetton 63, 75 Michael Landricombe 74

Attendance: 402