TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 3 - 1 Merthyr

Thirteen. Certainly not a number that supporters, players and officials of Merthyr Town will want to be reminded of (regarding their recent defeat at Chesham United) but one that needs mentioning for two reasons regarding the Yellows latest victory. Reason one: the number of league victories recorded so far this season, which now sees them occupy third in the standings; and reason two: Levi Landricombe with his thirteenth league goal of the season opened the scoring. Let`s hope that neither of these are unlucky omens. Captain Jamie Price and Man of the Match Nick Hurst completed the scoring for Tivvy in the second half before Ben Mammola gifted the visitors their consolation, when he inadvertently headed past Martin Rice in stoppage time.

James Richards replaced the absent Callum Hall and Ollie Knowles returned from suspension in place of Scott Rogers in the only changes from the victory at Dunstable, while recently signed forward Jared Lewington from Buckland Athletic made his Yellows debut as a second half substitute; with their recent `financial plight`, the visitors again fielded a youthful side. A youthful side, as well as the vocal travelling support, that were probably fearing the worse when Levi Landricombe fired the Yellows ahead with only five minutes registered, after he was afforded all the time in the world to control Tom Bath's header and fire low in to the bottom corner past Merthyr keeper Cameron Clarke. Clarke though, would spend the majority of the rest of the half as a virtual spectator as the visitors were more than a match for the Yellows and would certainly have spent the majority of their half time break wondering how they weren't at least level. Wide man Miles John fired a volley straight at Martin Rice, Jamie Price found himself in the right place at the right time to deflect Marcus Hogbakken's effort wide, and Rice did well to keep out Merthyr top scorer Ian Traylor as he bore down on his goal. The closest Tivvy came to extending their half time lead was when Michael Landricombe dragged his twenty-ish yard shot wide.

The second half, though, saw Tivvy assert more authority on the match as younger legs tired. Levi Landricombe shot inches wide after the returning Knowles had sent him through five minutes before the Yellows doubled their lead. In as near as makes no difference identical circumstances to the opening goal, Rice sent a free kick forwards, after Traylor had kicked-out at Richards, Bath headed on and Price was on hand to accurately guide home from close range, and only an offside flag prevented Bath from adding number three shortly after. Two did eventually become three with eight minutes remaining, Landricombe timing his run to perfection from halfway, and he unselfishly squared for Nick Hurst to tap in his first of the season from close range to seal victory, before Merthyrs gift-wrapped consolation came in stoppage time when Mammola, as he attempted to clear, headed Liam Martin's cross past Rice but in all fairness, nothing more than their efforts for the ninety minutes merited.

Tiverton Town: Martin Rice, Nick Hurst, James Richards (Jared Lewington 65), Jamie Price, Ben Mammola, Tom Gardner (Owen Irish 75), Jamie Short, Ollie Knowles, Tom Bath (Scott Rogers 80), Levi Landricombe, Michael Landricombe
Goals: Levi Landricombe 5, Jamie Price 55, Nick Hurst 82

Attendance: 230