Sholing 1
Folivi 41
Tiverton Town 0
Britton Sent off 74
February 1st 2025;
At the Mortgage Decisions Community stadium.
Momentum has been a decisive factor in our struggles since the season began. Back-to-back victories only happening twice and when we did go Three games unbeaten, all Three games were drawn. The scoreline could of been different, but for one very contentious offside decision denying the Yellows’ and another close call when Tiverton had the ball in the net, also going against us. The luck though does even itself out during the course of a campaign.
Rob Dray made a few changes to the side that triumphed against Wimborne. Jeff Forkuo and Marcus Day coming into the starting line up, with Sam Gleeson and Gabe Billington taking their places amongst the substitutes.
There was pressure on both sides to achieve a positive result, with Sholing only winning one of their previous 8 games and the Yellows’ well documented relegation battle. A fear factor inhibiting a freedom to play, was evident. In a cagey opening; Joe Parker and Dylan Jones saw promising runs snuffed out by the Sholing defence, Joe Duncan making a routine claim from a speculative header and a timely Toby Down intervention halted dangerous progress being made by the Boatmen.
The first Twenty minutes passed without a clear opportunity for either side and the first real moment of alarm happened when a few minutes later Parker’s cross picked out Marcus Day whose pass across Pat Nash in the host’s goal prompted a swift reaction from the keeper.
A vital outstretched hand pushing away for a corner. From the delivery in Matt Britton’s athletic overhead kick flashed just wide with Nash beaten.
Just beyond the half hour mark the Boatmens’ number one then had to be alert, when Parker and Dylan Jones linked up. Jones’s snap shot from Parker’s cross, forcing a decent save.
Our host’s responded in the 40th minute as the Referee played advantage with Sholing on the attack and a Yellows’ defender handling the ball. Although with pressure on the ball and Duncan to beat, the forward’s attempt was screwed wide. A few moments on though an opportunity to score was clinically taken. Former Watford striker Michael Folivi making it 9 League goals from the Ten games he has played, since joining mid season. His well placed shot played around Duncan to put Sholing ahead.
In the 43rd minute the host’s had the ball in the net again, but the Ref’s whistle had already blown for an earlier offence. But the game’s main talking point arrived when Parker did the same after being played through. There was disbelief from Tivvy when the flag was raised.
That dubious decision and a sustained spell of pressure before the break though amounted to nothing and we went into the break, a goal behind.
With half time team talk’s complete, when the game got underway again, it followed a similar pattern as the first half and there was little in the way of chances at the start of the second period. A mix up in The Southampton side’s defence though did force Nash to dive at Parker’s feet and Britton was booked.
62 minutes had been played, when a Dylan Jones long throw skimmed off a Sholing defender, prior to reaching Parker who unfortunately couldn’t keep his volleyed effort down. Niaĺl Thompson started to spring forward as Tiverton sought an equaliser.
The Boatmen’ enjoyed a good spell of play and from a corner, backs to the wall defending from the Yellows’ prevented them from extending their lead. A quick, incisive break from Tivvy meant we traded corners with our hosts. However, nothing significant resulted from it, but some significant did happen as Sholing poured forward. With us looking stretched and exposed, Britton tripped Lopes and having already been carded, he was shown a Red Card.
Having the extra man, spurred on our opponents and some impressive footwork and a threaded pass from Folivi found Rabbetts, but he fired over. Dan Koita replaced Nat Jarvis shortly after that and although we were stifled by being down to Ten men and Sholing had the majority of the possession, we did go for the Jugular in the closing stages and once again had the ball in the net through Parker, but offside was once again the outcome, as the Yellows’ protested. It wasn’t to be though and other team’s results on Saturday, have now left us in a very vulnerable position. While there are still 42 points to play for, we must remain hopeful. No one is going to do us any favours though and it’s in our hands if survival is to be achieved.
Hungerford have transformed their season and are next for the Yellows’, at the Ian Moorcroft Stadium. Unbeaten in 2025, they have won 4 of those 5 matches. Before that they only had 20 points and this kind of blueprint is something that can hopefully inspire Rob Dray’s men.
Tiverton: Duncan, Thompson, J.Jones, Down, Forkuo, Britton(S/O 74) Hall, D.Jones, Day, Jarvis, Parker.
Subs: Billington, Gleeson, Koita, Cummins
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