The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club
Tiverton Town 1 - 3 Yeovil TownSaturday 12/01/2002 FA Trophy | John Reidy |
It's 8.30pm and as usual around this time I'm at my keyboard staring at a blank monitor. What is unusual for me is that I seem to be short of words, the dreaded writers block. Maybe a change in the background music would help, after all Lloyd-Webber's 'Requiem' is hardly the most inspirational music in these circumstances. Perhaps Monty Python's 'Always Look On The Bright Side' would be more suitable but then, is there a bright side? I shut my eyes and take a random poke at the CD collection and my finger comes to rest on a REM album so on it goes. REM - Rapid eye movement - the physical manifestation of sub conscious mental activity whilst asleep. Dreaming. Well, yes, we might have been, but as so frequently happens the dreams were far from reality. And as with all dreams there is no substance when they're over and the wakeful state returns. For Tivvy Supporters there was bad news as soon as the teams were announced. Steve Winter had not recovered from the strain that led to him limping out of last week's encounter. Added to the fact that Steve Peters was cup-tied it meant a considerable re shuffle. With Phil Everett dropping back and Richard Pears starting up front, only the midfield trio remained unaltered from the side that had become the regular starting line up. It still looked pretty good on paper though. And it still looked pretty good as the game got underway. The Yellows were attacking the sponsors end and it was there in front of the Green Army that the first scoring chance came. Everett did just what we would of expected from the man he replaced and getting well forward whipped in a cross from far out on the right. Pears got up to it but not high enough and sent his hearer well over the cross bar. It was not to be a taste of things to come. Dreams have a habit of rapidly changing scenario and that's just what happened. Play flowed down to the Swimming Pool end and it was Yeovil's turn to apply the pressure. Steve Thompson held his head for a moment as his shot was deflected out for a corner. Adam Stansfield connected with the cross as it came in from the kick and his effort met with the same fate. Kim Grant relieved the situation by blasting the second corner towards the filling station. We'd not reached the five minute mark and there had already been four attempts on goal. If the match continued at this pace we were going to be well entertained. It did continue at full throttle for a while but it has to be said that the foot on the peddle was a Yeovil one. Thompson and the diminutive Darren Way had taken control of mid field and were prompting their front runners, Stansfield, Grant and the highly reputed Carl Alford. Stansfield in particular was causing problems, his pace leaving Nicky Marker and Neil Saunders struggling. Not that the Yellows were out of it entirely. They were looking for their share of the action on the break and Jamie Mudge and Kevin Nancekivell forced a corner by sheer persistent chasing in the seventh minute. Just when the game seemed to be settling into a pattern, like those fore mention dreams, the story changed. The Yellows defence appeared to have got to grips with the Yeovil front men but then came a slip. Paul Chenoweth misdirected a headed clearance. The ball went towards the Tivvy goal instead of away. Stansfield pounced. One touch to control it, one to hit it past Paul Edwards, a third to pick the ball out of the net as the Glovers celebrated. Tiverton tried to come back at their visitors but without any great influence over the central areas of the pitch it was a difficult task. When a course through the Yeovil defence was found by Mudge and his deflected cross fell to Pears, Richard again got under it, this time with his boot. Not that it would have made any difference as the flag was up and the whistle had gone for offside. In the 20th minute the Glovers were forced to make a change. Way left the contest following a knock, to be replaced by Andy Turner who collected a yellow card for a robust challenge on Everett before he had even touched the ball. Five minutes later there was a second substitution by The Glovers as Thompson was also replaced. Perhaps, we thought, the loss of the midfield dynamos would let us more into the game. Not so. The dynamos had been replaced by alternators and the visitors were still fully charged, while the Yellows starter motor seemed to have jammed. And so it continued through to the half time break. Yeovil kept the pressure on, Tiverton defended well but it was becoming more and more desperate as the Somerset side steadily increased the pressure; so desperate in fact that both Gross and Marker collected yellow cards for over enthusiastic ( substitute clumsy?) tackles on Stansfield as the game dragged into eight minutes of added time before the break. With segregation of supporters in place there was not the ritual changing of ends to occupy the interval so discussion of the possibility of a second half revival was high on the agenda. The statistics were there in the programme. Tivvy scored more goals in the second half. Tivvy conceded fewer goals in the second half. It was still a possibility if the lads started to get it together. Not for long did optimism reign. Within three minutes of the restart the deficit had been doubled. Again it was a goal aided by generosity by the home defence. A misplaced pass and Stansfield lurking. Full time training and better players around him have bought the best out of the Tiverton domiciled player. Latching on to the loose ball on the edge of the penalty area his shot was perfectly flighted over the advancing Edwards and into the top corner. It gave Yeovil the cushion they needed. It dispelled any doubts that their fans may have had. It destroyed most of the Tivvy fans hopes and dreams. The noise levels at the respective ends told the story. The Yellows had to do something drastic. Antony Lynch replaced Pears, Steve Ovens reappeared after an injury lay off that seems to have rivalled Methuselah's lifetime. It worked to a limited extent. There was more chase, more 'buzz' to the attack but still no penetration. Too many times the Tiverton defence would play the ball out from the back only for the move to break down as the ball was given away before it reached the front men. And with the attempted forward movement Tivvy were leaving holes at the back. Stuart Smith joined the fray to try and plug the gaps, replacing Mudge who had had a comparatively subdued afternoon, but it all made little difference. Yeovil were cruising. The Yellows still had the occasional chance, the best falling to Ovens whose screaming shot was well wide. Then it was all over. Stansfield had been looking for his hat trick goal. When his best chance came he was through on goal but forced wide. With the way things were going he probably could have done the job himself but unselfishly slipped the ball sideways to give Carl Alford the simplest of chances. Alford took it. Three - nil only slightly flattered the Glovers. There were still a few minutes left and after Hinckley, Tivvy have learnt to keep going. Yeovil repaid the generosity shown to them in the first hour by making their own donation. A long ball into their penalty area was covered by Adam Lockwood. As the defender attempted a simple header back to his keeper he was pressured by Kevin Nancekivell. Lockwood's header looped over Chris Weale and into the net. It was the proverbial 'consolation' goal but little consolation for the Tiverton supporters who had seen their dreams shattered. But how many dreams really do come true? And how many dreams re-occur? This one will, no doubt, next year. Tiverton Town: Paul Edwards, Richard Pears, Neil Saunders, Marcus Gross, Nicky Marker, Scott Rogers, Kevin Nancekivell, Jamie Mudge, Phil Everett, David Steele, Paul Chenoweth Subs: Antony Lynch (Pears,54), Steve Ovens (Steele,54), Steve Winter, Stuart Smith (Mudge,74) GK. John Vaughan Yeovil Town: Chris Weale, Adam Lockwood, Anthony Tonkin, Steve Thompson, Colin Pluck, Darren Way, Adam Stansfield, Lee Johnson, Carl Alford, Nick Crittenden, Kim Grant. Subs: Tom White (Thompson,25), Andy Turner (Way,20), Terry Skiverton, Chris Giles (Grant,81), GK. Steve Collis. |
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