The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club
Tiverton Town 3 - 1 SalisburyThursday 04/10/2001 FA Cup | John Reidy |
I learnt at a very tender age‚ probably at my mother´s knee‚ the truth of the old adage that if you didn´t expect too much you were unlikely to be disappointed. I say I learnt it‚ but I wonder if I did; and I wonder how many of the nearly 800 people in Ladysmead for this FA Cup replay were expecting theYellows to cruise into the next round‚ picking up £7‚500 as they passed ´Go´‚ and then to collect a further £10k in a couple of week´s time against Oxford City. If the Salisbury City Fans Forum was to be believed then the Wiltshire side were travelling to Devon more in hope than in expectation‚ perhaps a wise attitude. They were probably given a boost by the news that Steve Ovens‚ who had caused them so many problems in the two previous recent encounters‚ was sidelined by the hamstring injury incurred in Saturday´s tie. Salisbury also made a single change in their starting line up so the scene was set for another pulsating game‚ continuing where the sides left off at the weekend. Well that´s what we might have expected.......... Wrong! The first half was not a pleasant experience for most of the Tivvy fans around me and the less said about Town´s performance the better. Surfice to say that for the majority of the first half hour there was little to think that it was going to be anything other than ´one of those days´. Salisbury‚ perhaps because they felt they had nothing to lose‚ made most of the running. As in the league game a fortnight ago their shooting let them down. Tivvy did manage acouple of dangerous looking breaks and Lyttle in the visitor´s goal was called into action to tip a couple of close efforts over the bar. Never-the-less it was City that had most possession‚ most territorial advantage and showed most hunger for the substantial prize. It was hardly surprising and certainly against the run of play when they took the lead after 32 minutes. A corner on their right was lifted high over the crowd in the six yard box to fall at the feet of Graeme Mathie lurking at the back of the penalty area. The Sarum defender met the ball on the volley and crashed it into the net. For the eleventh time in the last twelve games Tiverton were going to have to come from behind if they were going to get any return from the game. There was little sign that they were going to do anything of the kind. Lyttle did have to save well from a Kevin Nancekivell header two minutes before the interval but otherwise there was no sign of the rampant Tivvy that had lit up the second half of the first attempt to settle this tie and it was almost a blessed relief to join the half time exodus to the other end of the field. Thank heavens for the two Martyns and whatever it is they do at halftime. If the fans felt there was little to cheer about in the first period there was still the hope that they could work the ´oracle´ as they have had to do so many times this season. It was a hope‚ not an expectation and was therefore so much more appreciated when it was realised just three minutes after the restart. In a repeat of one of his crossbar rattling efforts of Saturday‚ Richard Pears demonstrated his exquisite balance and control to bring the ball down and hit it on the turn‚ beating the keeper´s left hand and rather than finding the woodwork‚ finding the net. At last there was some noise from the home fans‚ and the delight amongst his team-mates was plain to see. No doubt tinged by a fair degree of relief. Town were looking more confident. They had battled their way back and though they were not controlling the game they had broken Salisbury´s grip on it. The contest became frantic as both sides went for the winner. The visitors could no longer sit on what they had and as they pushed forward so the Yellows were able to create more openings. Pears broke down the left‚ slipped the ball inside to Paul Chenoweth whose cross was headed clear to Scot Rogers‚ but the midfielder´s shot was wild. Dave Leonard‚ who was causing increasing problems on the left‚ pushed a ball just a foot too far in front of Anthony Lynch as the striker burst through and a minute later Lynch was bundled over as he latched on to a neat overhead pass by Pears. The referee‚ a vast improvement on Saturday´s apology‚ decided it was a fair challenge. Town were exerting most of the pressure as the Wilts men wilted. Approaching the half hour mark it was Pears´ turn to be denied as Mathie just managed to poke the ball away from his toe as the Yellows man teed up a shot. But Pearsy was not to be denied. Thirty two minutes on the watch and Leonard swung in a telling cross from the left. Pears was perfectly placed and met it with an impeccably judged glancing header. Lyttle had no chance and Tivvy were in front. Two minutes later the victory was signed‚ sealed‚ delivered. It was that man Pears again. Chasing a long ball down the left flank this time - who was it saying he was lazy - he won the ball in true Ovens style‚ laid it back into the corner of the penalty area where the advancing Lynch had only the keeper to beat when he was unceremoniously scythed to the ground. Kevin Nancekivell duly despatched the spot kick into the opposite corner to the one he put away up at the McEnhill Stadium. Once again Tivvy had come good in the end. Salisbury City must be wondering how to stop the Yellows from scoring three second half goals against them. They´ll be back in a couple of weeks to try again. In the meantime :- It´s pleasing to be able to savour our first home win since the opening day of the Dr Martens season. It´s pleasing to be able to bank that nice fat cheque. It will be pleasing if we can continue with another win on Saturday‚ and Wednesday‚ and the following Saturday against Oxford City. In the words of that first Beetles No.1 hit‚ Tivvy‚ ´ Please‚ Please Me´. Tiverton Town: 1. Paul Edwards‚ 2. Steve Winter‚ 3. Neil Saunders‚ 4. Paul Tatterton‚ 5. Nicky Marker‚ 6. Scot Rogers‚ 7. Kevin Nancekivell‚ 8. Anthony Lynch‚ 9. Richard Pears‚ 10.Paul Chenoweth‚ 11. Dave Leonard, Subs: 12.Phil Everett (Marker, 90), 14. Pete Conning, 15. Luke Vinicombe, 16. David Steele (Winter, 89), 17. Steve Ovens. Salisbury City: 1. Clive Lyttle, 2. Scott Bartlett, 3. Andy Cook, 4. Graeme Mathie, 5. Roger Emms, 6. Matt Davies, 7. Wayne Turk, 8. Paul Sales, 9. Martin Shepherd, 10. Tom Killick, 11. Tyronne Bowers , Subs: 12. Robert Speakman (Turk, 84), 14. Paddy Rynne, 15. Robbie Matthews (Shepherd,84), 16.Robert Harbut (Killick, 55), 17, Ben Madgewick. |
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