Match Report - Bracknell Town

Tiverton Town 2 

Koita 40 

Hall 53 

Bracknell Town 1 

Bowerman 71 

Attendance: 262 

Saturday 5th April 

The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium 

The Yellows are making a real fist of staying up and although the team and fans have been to some dark places this season, yesterday’s stirring performance has given everyone a real lift. ‘Favourites to go down’ is a tag we've had to wear almost all season long.  

Having resided in the bottom four for the bulk of the campaign, moving up to the fourth relegation place and only still in the drop zone by virtue of our well documented poor goal difference, makes the league table better viewing, albeit only briefly. 

In the next round of fixtures Tiverton have on paper their toughest remaining game. The trip to second placed Totton who still have an outside chance of winning the league and are also looking to maintain their advantage in the play-offs, will be an unlikely source of points.  

However, I’m not going to write off a team that have defied the odds, knuckled down and produced displays over the last six matches that have made supporters proud and restored some faith, even though the threat of relegation still hangs over us. 

In an otherwise unchanged line up from the Eleven that took to the field against Gloucester, the fit again Kamil Roberts replaced Sam Gleeson in the left full back berth. As Asa Hall and Steve Orchard, fresh from signing contracts for next season opted for continuity. 

Tivvy started determinedly and as brightly as the sun that shone down on The Slee Blackwell stadium. Pushing Bracknell back into their own half, as they set their stall out to force the issue. Joe Parker instigating a high press with Dan Koita and both Dylan Jones and Niall Thompson making good progress down the wings. 

In the twelfth minute Koita was dragged down outside the Robins’ box and although Kamil Robert’s floated free kick didn’t find its intended target, the visitors had to defend well, with lots of pressure being applied by the Yellows. 

Tiverton poured forward at every opportunity and such was the forcefulness of their play, that two Bracknell players had found their way into the Referee’s book in the opening twenty minutes. 

Though a few minutes before the second booking, the hungry Koita ran onto a lofted ball in from the busy Niall Thompson. Because of the dry, difficult playing surface the ball wouldn’t come down for the former Tavistock man and he readjusted well, trying an attempted overhead kick, which went just over the bar. 

With the home side in the ascendancy, the free kick and corner count was growing and a Thompson delivery from a free kick wide on our right, was met aerially by player/manager Asa Hall. His 21st minute header flashed wide but was not far away from opening the scoring. 

Koita then stretched the defence after good interplay with Jones. Manoeuvring himself into a good shooting position, he pulled his attempt on goal wide. 

For all Tiverton’s dominance, as the half went on it was looking very much like they would have nothing to show for it, at the break. Then Koita broke The Robins’ defensive line and stole a march on his marker, a little way into the visitor’s half, but with plenty left to do. 

His burst of pace in the 40th minute holding off Two pursuers’, the striker when entering the area, fired impressively through keeper Michael Eacott’s legs to open his account for the Yellows’ and to set us on our way. 

Thompson brought The Robins number one into action again a few minutes later, as he got down smartly to smother the Tivvy flyer’s effort. 1-0 at the break and it probably should have been more. 

Bracknell who had often looked flustered in the opening half, were a threat in the second half's early exchanges. Wideman Seb Bowerman and centre forward Jordan Esprit both showing their undoubted quality. Though our backline has been so much more secure recently. 

Despite more of a testing examination though from the away side, Toby Down and Charlie Cummins strongly and solidly held firm, and the rejuvenated Jeff Forkuo prevented the dangerous Bowerman from making a telling contribution. Josh Boorn did fire wide from range, but Joe Duncan was untroubled. 

Although Asa Hall much as he is noted for throughout his playing career, has started to become the scorer of vital goals for the Yellows’ and when some enterprising attacking play forced a corner, he delivered. Thundering home a close-range header at the near post, from Jamil Robert’s inviting ball in. 

That all important second goal giving Tiverton a cushion and easing the nerves around the ground. This was only the teams eighteenth home goal of the season and so often we have been holding onto a fragile lead. 

There was a concerted effort from the Robins to try and get back into the game after we’d gone further ahead, but they were unable to breach the well organised Tiverton Defence, with the midfield also closing down well and holding a good shape in front of them. 

The Yellows’ continued to look dangerous going forward and Joe Parker with a little over an hour played, after being played through, lobbed Eacott from range. However, painstakingly for him and the team, the ball dropped onto the crossbar and Bracknell survived. 

It was the visitors who then upped the pressure and from just more than 25 yards, Seb Bowerman had time and space before executing a scorching driven shot into the corner of Joe Duncan’s goal, on 71 minutes. 

Bowerman for once then got the better of Forkuo, but his cross could only find the side netting. Steve Orchard utilised his striking options, when Joe Beardwell entered the field of play with the impressive Koita exiting. 

With tension starting to build, Esprit whose movement for a striker is as good as any at this level was threatening to make his mark, but both Down and Cummins were on hand to block, as he lashed a shot goal wards in the 82nd minute. 

Just after that, Dylan Jones almost restored Tivvy’s two goal lead, when he was alive to uncertainty in Bracknell’s defensive ranks. His effort beating Eacott, but it took a horrible bounce on its way through to goal and bobbled wide of the target. 

As the board was held aloft for five minute’s additional time, Parker made way for Gabe Billington. The home faithful were kicking every ball and then had to hold its breath when in a busy penalty area, a Robin’s player fired to the bottom corner of Joe Duncan’s goal. 

The Bristol City loanee was alert though and clambered across his goal to pull off a great save down to his left, at the foot of his post. On numerous occasions this season his Goalkeeping heroics have come to The Yellows’ rescue. 

But that aside Tiverton’s game management was very good, and they were worthy 2-1 winners, at the end of the match. 

The upcoming game at Totton will be an extremely stern test and the road to the end of the season will be winding. Whatever happens, if the side continue to be hardworking resolute and believe, then they will have a fair chance of pulling off what would be a miraculous escape. 

Tiverton:  Duncan, Forkuo, Cummins, Down, Roberts, Thompson, Britton, Hall, D. Jones, Koita, Parker.

Subs: J. Jones, Beardwell, Billington, Day, Gleeson.