TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 3 - 2 Yate Town

Having previously lost 1-2 to a 9 man Yate side the Tiverton players would probably be happy enough with this 3-2 win despite yet again failing to finish off poor opponents. The home side welcomed back Holloway with Goff back available on the bench.

Yate started brightly enough‚ with good movement and interpassing‚ but failed to threaten in the final quarter of the pitch. It was Tivvy‚ who on five minutes mounted the first threat to good effect when Croft returned a Yale clearance over their defenders. Two forwards were in an offside position‚ but running back and the officials judged them to be passive‚ a correct but brave decision. This allowed Pears to make a well timed run onto the pass from an on side position and lob the keeper to open Tivvy´s account.

There was then a period where Yate continued to play well but Tivvy looked more likely to score. First it was a clever Mudge flick to Bale that produced an over hit cross that Davies returned to Pears whose attempted overhead kick failed to connect. Then a Mudge free kick from the left of the area was grabbed at the second attempt by the keeper. A free kick set Booth off down the right and his cross was only cleared by the Yate defence with difficulty. Mudge was then sent flying on the edge of the area by Jefferies who was lucky not to be booked. Ampadu swung in a curling free kick that was heading for the right hand corner of the goal before Court just managed to tip it round the post. The keeper then missed the resultant corner which bounced down on the line before being hacked clear. Despite this sustained Tivvy pressure Yate began to pose more of a threat with Wood giving Croft an increasingly difficult evening and as half time approached Yate won their first corner of the game‚ but to no effect.

The visitors were first out of the blocks from the restart winning a corner which Tivvy failed to clear. This let Sylvester in for a cross shot that flew past the far post. Back came Tivvy with Bale down the right crossing into Pears but his shot lacked pace and was comfortably collected by Court. Bale again got forward into the box only to have his shot deflected for a corner‚ which the keeper once again dropped‚ but without Tivvy able to take advantage of his mistake. Then it was Hutchinson´s pass down the left to Ampadu and on to Mudge who fired a shot just over the bar. Mudge was then put in behind the defence by a precisely weighted pass from Holloway but his first touch was too firm and ..was able to clear. Back came Mudge‚ controlling a long ball‚ beating his defender and playing in Pears but his shot was deflected for a corner‚ that Court again failed to deal with but at no cost to his team.

With 20 minutes gone a limping Pears was replaced by Nogan. Yate created a half chance with a near post cross before the Tivvy claimed a deserved second goal. A ball out to Mudge on the left was delivered back with pace into the six yard box in the area all teams fear defending. Nogan was on hand to provide the pressure and the defender obliged by stabbing the ball past his keeper. Within two minutes the Welshman went one better when a run by Mudge down the right resulted in a good cross that found Nogan unmarked six yards out and a long awaited first goal of the season was duly dispatched and celebrated.

So fifteen minutes to go‚ 3-0 up‚ Yate playing poorly and showing signs of dissent in the ranks‚ so no threat then? Edwards who had been entirely anonymous on his return to Ladysmead was substituted and within three minutes they pulled a goal back. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as Wood went off on a run towards goal with defenders in attendance and no obvious threat. No tackle was forthcoming as he reached the edge of the area and his mis-hit shot bounced‚ bobbled and then dribbled into the corner of the goal.

Even then there was no great urgency about Yate but within five minutes the score was 3-2. A corner was cleared to right edge of the area where Wyatt was waiting. His chipped shot flew over the packed area‚ nestling in the far top corner of the net with Ovendale rooted to his line. The visitors now saw their chance and for much of the remaining ten minutes Tivvy were reduced to clearing the ball anywhere‚ anyhow.

Mudge and Nogan were both given chances to take advantage of Yate´s more positive approach‚ but Nogan had a shot saved from a similar position to where he had scored and Mudge´ touch once again let him down as he broke clear on the goal with just the keeper to beat.

Three points and Nogan getting on the score sheet are not to be sniffed at‚ but the final fifteen minutes did mean that the 380 fans plus assorted brass monkeys left feeling somewhat deflated.

Tiverton Town: Mark Ovendale‚ Mike Booth‚ Darren Davies‚ Sam Croft‚ Tom Gardner‚ Kwame Ampadu‚ Crhis Bale (Dave Hambly)‚ Chris Holloway‚ Ian Hutchinson‚ Richard Pears (Kurt Nogan)‚ Jamie Mudge