The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club
Folkstone Invicta 0 - 1 Tiverton TownSaturday 03/11/2001 FA Trophy | John Reidy |
My battle against ageing has been going on for several years now. In the search for the secret of eternal youth I tried a few 'heavy metal' gigs but ended up with broken ribs when the stage diving went wrong. The occasional 'Rock God' perm helped me feel better for a while but did little for the slowing down process. Then as I really started to approach middle age (last year!), came the final straw that convinced me that I was fighting a losing battle. My eyes started to go. Not seriously, mind you, but just enough to make it sometimes difficult to focus on the things that were closest. I have, therefore, the utmost sympathy with the Tivvy players at the moment. With the prospect of possible FA Cup glory just around the corner the Umbro Trophy must have seemed like 'small fry' in comparison. The home side too had reason to have their minds elsewhere, smarting as they were from their unexpected 5-1 removal from the FA Cup by Welling. And that was how this game appeared for long periods, unfocused, shapeless, uninteresting, bland. It was a white shirt day for our heroes for the third time this season. Folkestone play in Amber so no doubt confusion will reign in the offices of our friends at the Express and Echo; and you'll have to forgive me if I refer to Tivvy as the Yellows even though they were in their change kit! Neither side started particularly brightly, neither side showed much enterprise. It was a dour midfield battle that sparkled about as much as matt black paint. One thing that was bright was the sun, so we sat on the terrace behind the goal, soaked up the warmth and waited for something to happen to make us shout. We waited and watched for 21 minutes and then saw the first shot on target of the afternoon. Fittingly for the nature of the game it came from a full back, Folkestone's Andy Morris. Paul Edwards did what he was going to do all afternoon and held the shot firmly. It woke us up from our state of semi slumber and also seemed to inject life into the players of both sides. Tivvy blinked themselves into focus and took the initiative. Within minutes they were attacking and won a corner. Nothing came of it but when the ball was cleared into the crowded midfield Paul Chenoweth conjured up a few moments of magic. Picking up the ball in midfield (no not the hand ball type of picking up), 'Cheno' was quickly surrounded by three defenders. With impeccable ball control he twisted first one way then the other, nipped between two of them, dragged the ball back as the third lunged in, side-stepped the tackle and headed towards the edge of the penalty area. As a fourth Amber and Black striped shirt closed in, the Tivvy man slipped the ball out to Richard Pears on the left who had taken advantage of the spread-eagled Folkestone back line to drift away unmarked. 'Pearsy' rounded the keeper, carried the ball to the goal-line and pulled it back into the path of Kevin Nancekivell to side foot home into the open goal. We were now fully awake so we cheered. It was the 28th minute and the Yellows were in front. Folkestone had to push forward and so they did but it was pretty ineffectual stuff and when their attacks broke down Town were playing the better football as they advanced through midfield. The Invicta defence though inevitably came out on top thanks to some robust but generally fair defending. Looking for the leveller it was the home side that ended the half stronger but were unable to find a way through despite spending the last five minutes buzzing around the Tivvy penalty area. Anything that did penetrate the defensive wall was grabbed and held firmly by Edwards. One up at half time sent us off to the tea hut happy. The second 45 minutes was strange in a couple of ways, not least in that it mysteriously lasted over 54 minutes. Tivvy started in the manner that they had played after taking the lead. Sound at the back, playing the better football in the middle of the park as they constructed forward moves and looking more incisive at the front, though it has to be admitted that the home defence had the better of things round their own penalty area. Invicta did apply some pressure down the right flank, perhaps they had been spying at Billericay last week, but Neil Saunders generally had things under control. Just seven minutes into the half Invicta made their first change bringing on Ayling for Virgo, presumably in an attempt to add a little more fire to their attack. It worked to a degree as they pinned Town back into their own half for considerable periods but still lacked penetration. Five minutes of that pressure was enough to make Martyn Rogers respond and Stuart Smith made a welcome return, replacing Paul Chenoweth. Again the contest drifted into a mundane encounter with most of the play centred around the edge of the Tivvy penalty area but as quickly as the ball found it's way into the box it was on it's way out again, unlike the many occasions when it has bounced around in the box like the ball on a bagatelle board. With the mid field on defensive duties there was little time for constructive moves forward and it was left to Phil Everett and Richard Pears to chase the clearances. It was just one such chase that started the blue touch paper smouldering and caused the game to explode into action again. Pears pursued the ball deep into the right hand corner and smashed in a low cross that had Hudson smothering the ball at Nancekivell's feet in the six yard box. Tivvy were mobile again and a minute later thought they had increased their lead. So did every body else apart from the Referee's Assistant. Again Pears found space down in that same corner. This time his cross was pulled back To Scott Rogers 0n the edge of the penalty area and Scott's shot screamed towards the net. Such was the power of the strike that Hudson could hardly be blamed for failing to hold it cleanly and Nancekivell was on hand to tuck the loose ball past the recovering keeper into the net. There was no sign of protest from the Invicta players but the man in black had his flag up, signalling that he thought 'Nance' had been offside when the first shot had been taken. From the free kick it was Eddie's turn to be called into action, body behind the ball, sticky hands, safe as houses. Back down towards the Folkestone goal, straight through the middle for Hudson to gather. 'Nance' challenged and harassed. the keeper swung his boot but not at the ball - that was firmly in his hands - at Kevin's legs. Contact was made. A yellow card each was all the referee deemed was warranted. Strange that chasing a keeper should be viewed at the same level as kicking out at an opponent! The pendulum swung again as Invicta charged down their right flank. This time the cross flew in and Nicky Marker was adjudged to have handled in the area. Penalty, so it looked as if the equaliser was on its way. Eleventh Commandment. Have faith in Eddie. Up stepped Morris. Eddie threw himself horizontal. Hand met ball. Ball went past post for corner. Still 0-1. Twenty minutes left. Invicta laid siege to the visitors goal for most of the next quarter of an hour, managed to hit the woodwork once but not the net. Town defended well. Every time a tackle was made the home fans yelled for a penalty. Even they doubted their team's ability to score from open play. Then Town broke out. they found themselves in strange territory, their opponents half. Memories of last weeks killing of the game at Billericay as they worked their way down into the corners and played keep ball. It's true that they did lose it a couple of times but it wasn't given away with rash crosses attempting to increase their lead. Steve Winter did unleash one screamer that Hudson strained to touch onto the upright, but mostly it was Tivvy hanging on to the ball. In 'cup' football a ten goal victory margin takes you only as far as a single goal margin, and that was what the Yellows had. As minute after minute was added we wondered when it would all end It was a long wait but it arrived eventually and Tiverton's reward is a HOME tie against either Ford United or Croydon, both of the Ryman First Division. That is weeks away. Next task is Exmouth Town and then Welling. Further than that my eyes will not focus. Hope it's the same for the players. Tiverton Town: Paul Edwards, Steve Winter, Neil Saunders, Paul Tatterton, Nicky Marker, Scott Rogers, Kevin Nancekivell, Richard Pears, Phil Everett, Paul Chenoweth, David Steele. Subs: Anthony Lynch (Pears,90), Luke Vinnicombe (Winter,90), Pete Conning, Stuart Smith (Chenoweth,57) , Martyn Grimshaw. Folkestone Invicta: Kevin Hudson, Andy Morris, James Virgo, Danny Chapman, Scott Daniels, Anthony Hogg, Martin Chandler, Danny G. Chapman, James Dryden, Nicky Dent, Anthony Henry. Subs: Ricky Reina (Hogg,80), John Ayling (Virgo,52), Michael Everritt, Mark Twoose. Un-named. |
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