Saturday, October 19 . Ian Moorcroft Stadium . 3 pm
Tiverton Town 3 (Grubb 7, 40, Read og 79)
Sholing 3 (D Mason 21, 76, Fitchett 86)
Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South
AT the end of a difficult and testing week for the Yellows, the players had to take on a Sholing side that have so far this season been in play-off contention.
The main talking point ahead of the fixture was obviously potential new managers after the mutual agreement reached between outgoing management team Leigh Robinson and Ben Gerring and the club's Committee.
Interim Managers Asa Hall and Niall Thompson, along with captain Matt Britton, organised team affairs as Tiverton sought to get some reward after being on the end of a few dispiriting scorelines. The return of Dylan Jones was heartening and Jeff Forkuo was restored to the starting 11, also.
An attacking formation saw Dylan Jones in a more advanced wide midfield role and Kai Churchley playing as a 10 behind Joe Parker and home debutant Evander Grubb, who has arrived from Taunton.
The Yellows’ sense of adventure made for a very entertaining game on the day.
When the referee got us underway, both sides started positively in trying to gain an early advantage, Sholing conjuring up an early chance when the cultured Billy Stedman teed up Jake Hesketh on the volley. A solid block on his goal bound connection kept the Boatmen out.
A flowing opening from both sides on a heavy grassy pitch, owing to the heavy rainfall during the week, made for a promising spectacle. In the seventh minute, Grubb ensured that that spectacle became exciting viewing for the Tiverton faithful when his strike from outside the box gave us the lead.
An uninhibited Yellows went toe to toe with their higher opponents in a thrilling afternoon’s football. A pacy encounter with lots of attacking intent was played out.
In the 13th minute, the Boatmen were fully stretched when some fine link-up play involving a host of Tivvy players saw Javan Wright’s driven cross frantically cut out by Benny Read.
The influential Dylan Jones, the technically astute Churchley and the free-spirited strong ball-carrying of Grubb were to the fore, although both teams were threatening in the final third and the lively Stedman was complimenting Sholing's front two well.
The prolific Dan Mason levelled things up, ex-Cambridge United wide man Jordan Chiedozie combining to lethal effect with striker Mason, who finished well.
This did little to quell a determined Yellows and there was some excellent build-up play as we looked to respond, the tireless Wright being a good outlet when springing forward, but also mindful of his defensive work.
Chiedozie hit the bar from Stedman’s corner as our opponents continued to present danger.
There’s an old saying that you have to speculate to accumulate and, in the 40th minute, the positive-thinking Grubb once again tried his luck from outside of Sholing’s box and, although this time his effort was diverted into the Boatmens’ net via a wicked deflection, his instinctive decision paid dividends.
The two sides disappeared into the dressing-rooms with the Yellows leading by the odd goal in a very competitive match, the performance and the attitudefrom the Tiverton players lifting a lot of the gloom from earlier in the week.
The front foot nature of our play edged a thoroughly enjoyable first half, although Sholing were very much part of a pulsating opening period.
There was no let up in the fast paced action during the second half, both sides trading blows in the opening 15 minutes.
On the hour mark, from an inviting free-kick by the corner flag delivered by the impressive Churchley found Josh Jones, who glanced his header agonisingly over, Dylan Jones, with a typically positive surge, winning that Free Kick.
Britton, who had battled manfully in midfield, was then replaced by Tor Swann to give us yet another attacking dimension to our play.
Wright then claimed a corner after some bright play down Sholing’s left, although, despite intense Tivvy pressure, the visitors’ managed to clear their lines.
The Boatman then asserted some pressure on our back line and forced the Yellows into conceding a free-kick on the edge of our area. Much to the relief of on watching fans, nothing materialised and the ball went behind for a goal-kick.
Just over five minutes later, though, the visitors did even things up, Mason doubling his tally and his team’s as an incisive bit of excellent interplay involving substitute Max Bustamente and Hesketh ended with the alert forward tucking away.
It really was end to end, edge of the seat, stuff and only three minutes later a never say die Tiverton were back in front when a darting run from Wright, saw his ball in turned into his own net by Benny Read.
The drama though did not stop there and, four minutes from the end of normal time, ex-Salisbury man Dan Fitchett, introduced as a substitute, levelled the game for a third time.A delivery in from out wide was not dealt with by the Tiverton defence and Fitchett was first on the scene and placed the ball beyond Zak Baker.
With both teams desperate to get the win, they piled forward in a thrilling finale. Five minutes were added and a Fitchett volley was only inches away from snatching it for the Boatmen, although 3-3 is how it finished and that was probably the fairest outcome.
This was a stirring display from the team and they and the fans can be proud of their efforts, the players sticking together in what cannot have been an easy set of circumstances.
Hall and Thompson motivated and organised the team brilliantly.
Poole visit in a week’s time, but if they can bottle that togetherness and competitiveness, the fans will continue to be firmly behind them whoever is in the dugout.
Yellows: Z Baker, Forkuo, Hall, J Jones, Kempster, Britton (c), Wright, D Jones, Churchley, Grubb, Parker.
Attendance: 304.
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