TIVVY ARCHIVE

Tiverton Town 2 - 1 Dorchester Town

Last minute winners are always sweet, especially when it secures a first ever league win over your opponents and sends you to the top of the table. For the previous statements, see the latest summing up of the Yellows fourth league win on the spin as they came from a goal down to beat Dorchester Town with two headed goals from the now leagues leading goal-scorer Jared Lewington, who equalised just three minutes after Tom Bath had scored, and then sent the larger part of Ladysmead delirious in the final minute.

River Allen was restored to the starting lineup after sitting out the majority of last weeks seven-goal mauling of Farnborough at the expense of Jordan Bentley, who was named amongst the substitutes. Also on the bench was the newest addition to the squad, Luke Mortimore, who would eventually come on to devastating effect. The visitors made six changes to the personnel that had beaten Wimborne Town by a goal to nil in midweek in the Southern League Cup, which included a return to the starting line-up for the familiar face of striker Bath.

The first half, whilst goalless, was entertaining as a spectacle as both sides created numerous decent opportunities. The Yellows got forward quickly on occasions but were found wanting when it came to hitting the target – unlike last week – and found themselves in front of a well-marshalled Magpies backline. Meanwhile, while Tivvy were also forced to defend well for periods, and when the rear guard was breached, goalkeeper Lewis Williams was again in fine form and did well to deny Tom Blair on several occasions before, typically, the former employee came back to haunt his old side just five minutes after the re-start.

A well-worked move down the Magpies' right eventually saw the lively Blair set free and his cross was hammered home at the far post by Bath for his seventh of the campaign, despite Williams best efforts to keep it out. But almost instantly the Yellows hit back and drew level. Similarly to the visitors opener, Tiverton worked a move down their right and Josh Key skipped past Magpies left-back Tiago Sa before drilling over a cross that Lewington headed home for his seventh league goal of the season to not only draw the sides level but also himself level with Bath at the top of the goalscoring charts.

Again chances came and went for both sides: Bastin flashed a good opportunity wide while Bath had thought he had put the visitors back in front only to have his celebrations quickly halted by an offside flag. The longer the afternoon wore on and the minutes ticked by, the more a point a piece seemed the most likely outcome, until the final one. Second half substitute Mortimore had only re-signed on the previous day from Willand Rovers, and made an instant impact as it was his cross that Lewington managed to head home to seal the victory that sent the Yellows back to the top of the pile.

Tiverton Town: Lewis Williams, Josh Key, Noah Smerdon, George Nancekivell, Michael Landricombe, Jordan Dyer, Steve Colwell (Luke Mortimore 71), River Allen, Jared Lewington, Jordan Bastin, Tyler Elliott
Goals: Lewington 53, 90

Attendance: 269