TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 0 - 1 Walton & Hersham

There haven't been too many times this season when as a fan looking for his football fix, I have come away feeling fulfilled from the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium. This though was definitely one of them, as Tiverton belied their league position to give a spirited and polished performance that came incredibly close to denying the league leader's all Three points.

Dean Moxey who was excellent, made his long awaited return and talented youngster Karim Coulibaly came back into the line up, after being on Under 18 duty in the week. There was also a first start in midfield for Exeter loanee Jack Cartwright, as Gabe Billington missed out through injury.

The Yellows’ started brightly at a sunny Ladysmead. The high pressing and good movement from Aiden Horne was to the fore. Against a top footballing side who like to play through the team, there was a hustle about Asa Hall's side from the outset.

In the 5th minute, an excellent piece of covering round from Wilkins took the ball away from danger and from a Walton attacker. Showing good composure, he sent Cartwright away down the Swan's left channel and his probing cutback just eluded a posse of Yellows’ inside the box.

Tiverton's midfield comprising of Stephen's, Hall, Cartwright and Wellington were doing well to stifle their visitor's cultured build up play. However, in the 9th minute Moxey with some impressive positional play stole the ball from a Swans’ forward and cleared away, down the line.

With 11 minutes played, neat progressive football from Coulibaly and Cartwright fed the lively Horne in the away side's area. He pulled the trigger, but a last-ditch defensive block from a Swans’ defender quickly closed the door, which had for a half second been briefly ajar.

There was more enterprising football from the Yellows’ a few minutes later, when Moxey arrowed a ball over the top to the heavily involved Horne, who briefly took the ball past the last man, but again the threat was dealt with rapidly, by a recovering defender.

Shortly afterwards the same combination linked in a similar vein. This time resulting in a Tiverton corner. Nothing came from it and Walton & Hersham were enjoying a lot of possession, but a focused Yellows’ were working hard to deny them a clear sight of goal.

In one of many stoppage's of play in the first half, Walton lost their inspirational captain, ex EFL Salford City player Joey Jones due to injury in the 22nd minute. 

Tiverton were passing nicely through the third's themselves and just beyond the half-hour mark Stephens tried his luck from the edge of the box. Rifling his shot through a crowd of players, but also wide of Keeper Josh Barker's goal and thudding into the advertising hoardings.

Hall and Stephen's were then both booked, as a passionate and determined Yellows’ went toe-to-toe with the table topper’s. Horne then evaded a challenge out by the corner flag and proceeded into the area, but his zipping ball across the face of goal was a little too heavy.

A smart intervention by Koerner stopped the Swans’ deep in our half and provoked an angry reaction from the visitor's player, who was added to the Referee's list of offenders.

Then with Half time beckoning John Ross's excellent reaction save denied ex Charlton pro, the thick set Johl Powell, whose physicality and goals have been important to his team, throughout the campaign.

Defying expectations before the game, there was nothing between the sides when the Player's headed for the dressing room. A well organised Tivvy with spirit, intensity with good quality on the ball were more than holding the team with a 15 point lead at the top. Moxey had been imperious and his influence was obvious.

The Swans’ noticeably upped the tempo when play resumed, but it was Coulibaly who latched onto a through ball Five minutes after the restart. Although his intelligent piece of movement, saw keeper Barker make a strong reaction save to deny him.

Two Yellows’ efforts were then blocked from a corner and then Horne following up was involved in a contentious moment, as forceful contact saw him fall to the floor inside the box. No penalty was given and Coulibaly saw a third block, prevent the game's opener.

A sustained period of dominance from the visitors then had to be soaked up by Tiverton, as they responded to a few early scares in the second half. The impressive Mason Obeng was making headway down our right.

In the 54th minute an alert Ross, moved across his goal and down to his near post to superbly foil a Swan's forward, gathering the ball as it looped back up to him. And then a magnificently well executed, goal saving tackle from Matt Wood, was a crucial intervention.

The visitors introduced Joe Bennett in the 61st minute. The 35 year old was only playing in the Championship for Oxford last season and the ex Aston Villa and Cardiff Left Back who was capped for England at Under 21 level, showed his pedigree.

At that point Walton & Hersham had a strangle-hold on the game and Ross made an even better stop, low down to the corner of his goal, as they pierced our backline with an incisive sliding pass creating a One-on-One situation in the 65th minute.

The wall did it's job, when with around 20 minutes to go, we conceded a free kick in a very good striking range. Stephens, who had been an impressive creative source for us though, took the impact of the powerfully driven attempt in his midriff and Coulibaly cleared to safety.

Pressure was relieved when the Yellows’ forced a corner and the ball was only half cleared to Stephen's who took aim from around the Dee, but screwed his attempt wide.

Fletcher Poole replaced Horne in the 75th minute, who had strained every ounce of effort he could from himself and given the Swans’ defensive unit a testing afternoon. 

Weathering the storm a little, Hall's astute pass found Cartwright who neatly controlled and the lively Poole was agonisingly just ahead of his threatening cross in. Although soon afterwards the away team took the lead. 

In the 80th minute a long throw saw them push men forward. An initial flick on, prompting an overhead kick that was closed down. However, the ball invitingly flew up to another Swan's player with his back to goal and a second overhead kick closer in from AFC Wimbledon loanee defender, Riley Horan broke the deadlock.

This seemed a little unfair on Tiverton who, bearing in mind who the opposition were, had arguably given their best display of the campaign. There have been quite a few instances this season when heads have quickly dropped, though this wasn't one of them.

A few more minutes into the game, Ross calmly floated the ball over to Cartwright, who linked up with Wilkins down Waltons' left. Shifting it through to Coulibaly, he was fouled.

From the resulting free kick, Wilkin’s found Hall. The player manager's powerful effort from the edge of the box was goalbound, but Barker produced an outstanding save.

The ball went out for a corner and although an inviting, curling delivery from Corey Koerner briefly threatened, the Swans’ cleared away. A strong display from Stephen's ended with him making way for Sam Lord in the 86th minute, as we pushed for an equaliser.

The exciting Coulibaly had yet again given notice of his huge potential departed, as Sol Padmore was Steve Orchard and David Steele's final substitution in added time and despite them being on the front foot at the end of the game, they weren't able to level things up.

This was a marked improvement from Tuesday night. Both players and fans can feel proud of a performance that pushed runaway league leaders Walton & Hersham all the way.

We move onto a third of Five successive games at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium, when Tuesday night’s opponents will be Play off placed Gloucester City. Asa Hall’s men will be intent on maintaining the standard they set on Saturday. So let’s get down to the ground and support the lads!

Tiverton: Ross(gk), Wilkins, Wood(c), Moxey, Koerner, Hall, Stephens(86), Cartwright, Wellington, Coulibaly(90+), Horne(75)
Subs: Lord(86)), Poole(75), Padmore(90+)