TIVVY ARCHIVE

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Tiverton Town 1 - 2 Exeter City

Tuesday 25/08/2020   Friendly
Tivvy Archive

Tiverton’s return to home action ended in a narrow defeat at the hands of Exeter City, whose second-half goals from Matt Jay and Will Dean trumped Jared Lewington’s first-half penalty. But goals and results are largely incidental in pre-season matches, and Martyn and Scott will have been generally satisfied with the performance of a team that is showing promise ahead of the competitive season.

The Yellows played a 4-2-3-1 system which saw Chris Shephard as the de-facto number 10, flanked by Jordan Bastin on the left and Andy Watkins on the right. With Jared Lewington as the lone striker that left Aaron Dawson and Dan Hayfield as a double-pivot combo in the heart of the midfield, a burgeoning partnership that offers room for optimism. How much Tivvy will miss River Allen across the next year remains to be seen, but the midfield has no shortage of technical skill and creativity; perhaps there is a lack of bite in the middle; perhaps George Nancekivell will be the most missed of the summer departures.

Defensively, numbers remain thin, with the four players confirmed as part of the squad starting: Kyle Egan on the right, Craig Woodman on the left, and Michael Peck partnered with Neil Martin in the middle ahead of goalkeeper Lewis Williams. Dawson could theoretically cover at right back, Martin at left back, but there is no back-up central defender at present. Cormac Pike, and English Schools captain, formerly of Bristol Rovers an Paulton may be an option, the trialist coming on in a second-half reshuffle.

The decision regarding trialists could prove to be a key part of the season: there is depth in the attacking midfield areas, proven by the make-up of the subs bench which included Billy Craske, Ed Butcher and another trialist, Jordan Lam. We probably need Pike, but not Lam, as things stand (nor do we need Watkins, but to send him away without a deal would be a brave decision, given the experience and ability he would bring to the squad).

For Woodman it was a first Ladysmead appearance in Tivvy yellow, although it came more than 18 years after he turned out in the number three shirt for Bristol City on the same pitch. And, as should be expected of a seasoned campaigner whose beaker of professional experience is close to the point of overflowing, he acquitted himself assuredly, particularly in the second half up against the dynamic and versatile Randell Williams. He was Town’s best player on the night, along with Hayfield; few others stood out one way or the other. That is not to say there were weak performances anywhere, but nobody really provided a wow-factor such as others before had managed in friendly fixtutes (I am drawn to recall Jamie Hatch's dominant display against Torquay as a perfcet example; Ian Sampson around the same time shone brightly, as did Steve Ovens some years earlier, and Rocky Neal a little more recently).

Last term’s Player of the Season Bastin was subdued through containment on the wing, although it was his cross which struck Josh Key on the arm,allowing Lewington to opening the scoring from the penalty spot moments before half time. Elsewhere Landricombe had a couple of second-half chances without being able to bring Exeter goalkeeper Lewis Ward into action. Similarly, neither Martin nor Watkins could fully capitalise on half-chances either side of the break, nor could Shephard before he made way for Lam midway through the second period.

Exeter enjoyed the better of each half without truly dominating the game, coming close through a Jay free kick which Lewis Williams helped around the post, and a couple of chances that didn’t quite fall to Ben Seymour. Jay got the reward his efforts deserved with a low shot into the bottom corner not long after the restart, and despite Nicky Ajose lifting a shot over the crossbar, City sealed the win with a fine free kick from Dean five or six minutes from the end.

A game that was more intriguing than entertaining left some questions unanswered and other questions where the management will be in a much better position to pass judgement and formalise both the squad and the system. And that is exactly the purpose of pre-season matches, so we must conclude that it was a hugely valuable exercise and experience. Moreover, it was a match which confirmed that Tiverton Town is able to host games with current crucial health and safety restrictions in place, and this was maybe the most valuable lesson of all.


Tiverton Town: Lewis Williams, Kyle Egan, Craig Woodman (Cormac Pike 76), Aaron Dawson, Michael Peck, Neil Martin, Andy Watkins (Ed Butcher 71), Dan Hayfield, Jared Lewington (Levi Landricombe 52), Jordan Bastin (Billy Craske 81), Chris Shephard (Jordan Lam 64)
Goal: Lewington 45p

Exeter City: Lewis Ward, Josh Key (Nicky Ajose 46), Jordan Dyer, Alex Hartridge (Louis Morison 82), Lewis Page (Tyler Denton 46), Harry Kite, Jake Taylor (Cheick Diabate 82), Matt Jay (Lewis Wilson 82), Randell Williams (Noah Smerdon 82),  Joel Randall (Sonny Cox 82), Ben Seymour (Will Dean 46)
Goals: Jay 48, Dean 83

Attendance: 300


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