TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 2 - 3 Gosport Borough

A lesson in how to be prolific. Three shots on target, three goals scored and Gosport Borough, at the seventh time of asking, racked up their first ever victory over the Yellows, who were made to pay for their inability to put their chances away. The visitors led by two at the break as Charlie Kennedy chalked up the opener on sixteen minutes, less than two minutes after River Allen had skied over from twelve yards after Josh Key had been tripped and Rory Williams doubled the advantage just four minutes later. Sam Argent headed home their third sixteen minutes from the end before Steve Colwell and Josh Key scored what turned out to be nothing more than consolations in the final ten minutes. George Nancekivell returned to the starting line-up in place of the departed Jared Lewington for the only change to those that had won two-one at Hendon previously while the visitors handed a debut to Brian Stock as they looked to bounce back from their midweek FA Trophy defeat by the odd goal in five to Bath City.

Of course the absence of Lewington will have been the topic for the after-match discussion and some peoples reasonings for the latest defeat and to a certain extent they will have a point. Balls forward to the target man had served the Yellows well thus far this season and Lewingtons absence was noticed but goals have come from all over the pitch and on another day the Yellows would have been two up before the visitors struck their first and probably gone on to win, who knows. Man of the Match Josh Key put one on a plate for Bastin on five minutes and with his previous record, you`d have put your house on him opening the scoring but he inexplicably screwed his effort wide and Key was involved again on fourteen as his run into the box was illegally halted and referee Pearson pointed to the spot but Allen, who was yet to miss a penalty for the Yellows, sent his spot kick over the bar and just six minutes later the Yellows were two behind.

Charlie Kennedy curled home the opener with the help of Lewis Williams` right hand post from the edge of the area on sixteen after a free-kick from debutant Brian Stock was only partially cleared and then Rory Williams doubled the lead on twenty as a deep corner was headed back across goal and he nodded home from close range. More chances came for the Yellows before the interval, Allen toe-poked a Smerdon cross against an upright and O`Flaherty made a superb save to deny Colwell after he had been played through and a questionable offside decision at the start of the second period frustrated the Yellows further, as Bastin was adjudged to have gone too early as a Josh Key cross trickled towards him before another great save from O`Flaherty denied Shephard and as the second half wore on, the more it became obvious that the visitors were happy to defend and try to catch the Yellows on the counter but it was the Yellows that as near as makes no difference gift-wrapped the visitors their third.

Mike Landricombe horribly mis-cued his attempted back pass towards Williams which handed `Boro a cheap corner and from Liam Robinsons delivery from their right, substitute Sam Argent flicked a header into the far corner and for just the second time in the league this season, after beating Taunton three-nil on the opening day, they had scored three in a match. Back came the Yellows again and finally registered as Steve Colwell scored his third of the season when he nodded home a Jordan Bastin corner ten minutes from the end and then Josh Key tapped home a Tyler Elliott cross with two minutes of the ninety left to play but the divisions meanest defence stood firm from then on to record their first ever win over the Yellows.

Tiverton Town: Lewis Williams, Pierce Mitchell (Tyler Elliott 60), Noah Smerdon, George Nancekivell (Luke Mortimore 72), Michael Landricombe, Jordan Dyer, Steve Colwell, River Allen, Josh Key, Jordan Bastin, Chris Shephard.
Goals: Steve Colwell 80 Josh Key 88

Attendance: 233