TIVVY ARCHIVE

The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club


Tiverton Town 2 - 0 Hartley Wintney

Saturday 08/02/2020   Southern League Premier Division
Simon Ellis

Sometimes the performance will happily be forgotten if the result is the right one and that is definitely the case for the Yellows first win in five league matches, although that record can also be converted to just one defeat in ten too, against a Hartley Wintney side that had won their two previous matches, to complete a season double over the Hampshire side.

The Yellows sixteenth victory of the campaign was ultimately sealed before thirty minutes had been played after they flew out of the traps and deservedly lead by goals from Player of the Month for January Alex Fletcher and Jordan Bastin but the Yellows had to withstand periods of Hartley pressure for parts of the rest of the match, who will have been disappointed to at least not score or get anything from the match.

The Yellows changed five from the 2-2 draw at Salisbury as new signings Kyle Egan and Billy Craske were both involved, Egan started while Craske started on the bench, goalkeeper Lewis Williams made his first appearance since New Years Day, River Allen sat out the first of his enforced three match absence and Jordan Dyer replaced Michael Peck while the visitors made three changes to the side that had beaten Dorchester two-nil at home last time out as Messrs. Argent, Gater and Drage replaced Hollamby, Bird and Cornell.

Were it not for the brilliant performance of the visitors keeper Tom Williams early doors, the Yellows would have been over the hill and far away even before Alex Fletcher struck after fifteen minutes. His first super save kept out a Michael Landricombe header before he denied the eventual goalscorers Fletcher and Bastin with two more top class saves but the hero of thus far was helpless to prevent the Yellows from taking the lead.

Bastin played a ball in behind the defence and Fletcher stripped the covering defender for pace before arrowing a left foot drive into the corner for his seventh goal in just nine starts and the great start continued, despite losing Shephard to a hamstring injury, who had been influential in their dominance and after eventual Man of the Match Josh Key had sprinted clear on twenty-eight he squared for Jordan Bastin to tap home the simplest of finishes for his twelfth league goal.

Hartley ended the half strongly though and had chances to reduce the arrears as Kyle Egan found himself in the right place to deny Mitchell Parker and the returning Lewis Williams produced a fine save to deny Joseph Grant deep into first half stoppage time. Their dominance on proceedings continued into the second half but they either wasted good opportunities to score or were thwarted by the Yellows backline, in particular when Lewis Williams was again called upon he superbly denied Mitchell Parker in a one-on-one and Hartley were almost undone on the counter-attack on a couple of occasions late on as they pressed higher and higher.

The Yellows next two matches see them host Farnborough before travelling to Yate Town and performances like today and better will be needed if a place amongst the seasons front-runners is to be realised come the season climax at the end of April.


Tiverton Town: Lewis Williams, Kyle Egan, Josh Key, George Nancekivell, Michael Landricombe, Jordan Dyer, Ryan Beckinsale (Billy Craske 74), Steve Colwell, Alex Fletcher, Jordan Bastin (Brad Riggs 90), Chris Shephard (Tyler Elliott 24)
Goals: Fletcher 15 Bastin 28

Attendance: 248


This report ©2020 Simon Ellis