TIVVY ARCHIVE

The unofficial archives of Tiverton Town Football Club


Tiverton Town 2 - 0 Stourbridge

Saturday 01/04/2000   Southern League First Division
Nigel Davis

Tivvy continued on the promotion trail with a hard fought win against a much improved Stourbridge side. Two stunning goals‚ the first an excellent header by Phil Everett from a Dave Leonard free kick. The second‚ a 25 yard screamer from the ´fit again´ Steve Daly in the dying seconds.
Tivvy dominated the first half and Man of the Match Pete Varley went very close on 25 minutes‚ when he took the ball almost from the halfway line‚ beat two defenders and shot from an accute angle at the byeline‚ but Stourbridge´s ´keeper Darren Alden was able to gather comfortabley. Ten minutes later Tivvy scored their first goal and what a sweet goal it was. Dave Leonard´s curling free kick was met by Phil Everett whose diving header was directed powerfully past the ´keeper just inside the far post. Pete Varley was very unlucky not to have scored on 42 minutes when his skill and determination saw him leave two defenders completely wrong footed‚ but this time the ´keeper pulled off a stunning close range save. He was just able to get enough on the ball to send it to the underside of the crossbar to rebound out to safety.
The second half saw Stourbridge enjoy more possession than they were allowed in the first half‚ but were not able to create any chances of note‚ indeed Paul Edwards was not called upon to make any saves throughout the game. With 20 minutes of the second half gone Phil Everett pulled up with a recurrence of his hamstring problem and was replaced by Steve Ovens. Dave Leonard‚ who started the game and played really well‚ came off on 65 minutes to be replaced by Luke Vinnicombe. This enabled Dominic Richardson to take over at left back and Luke to take over Dominic´s role at right back. This didn´t seem to upset Tivvy´s shape‚ indeed Luke looked very comfortable considering his long layoff and was the provider of some telling passes.
The biggest cheer of the afternoon (apart from the goals) came when Steve Daly made his home comeback coming on for Pete Conning on 75 minutes and immediately making his presence felt.
Tivvy were now really motoring and Steve Ovens showed what a pain he can be to defences when in the dying minutes of the game‚ and looking as if the ball was stuck to his boot‚ he took the ball from the touch line‚ beating two defenders got into the penalty area and pulled the ball back for Steve Daly whose shot was excellently save by the Stourbridge ´keeper. In the last minute of the game an almost identicle move saw Steve Ovens´ pass across the face of goal evade both Kevin Nacekevell and Pete Varley. Pete Varley gave chase‚ dispossessed a defender and placed the ball perfectly for Steve Daly who‚ looked up‚ saw a gap‚ and shot from 25 yards. The ball was going in from the moment it left his foot as it stayed as straight as a die‚ rising slowly to alude the ´keeper and almost take out the side netting.
Line up: Edwards‚ Richardson‚ Saunders‚ Tatterton‚ Marker‚ Conning‚ Nancekivell‚ Varley‚ Everett‚ Rogers‚ Leonard.
Subs: Ovens (Everett 60)‚ Vinnicombe (Leonard 65)‚ Daly (Conning 75).

This report ©2000 Nigel Davis