West Midland Regional League

Premier Division

Saturday 23rd September 2017

Tividale 3-3 Wolverhampton Casuals

Nothing Casual about this comeback

Tividale were asked for two big performances in these last two games from manager Dave King. But after Wednesdays game at Malvern it was going to be a big ask. The first half of this game was definitely a case of after the Lord Mayors Ball. But the second half exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Tividale made a number of changes for this game with Freddie Watts, Chris Bladen and Nathan Jones replacing the unavailable Liam Smith, Tyree Clarke and the midweek hat trick hero Dan Smith.

Tividale started poorly and had no answer to the Casual attacking play from their front two Liam Hughes and Jay Holcroft, committing a number of fouls around the edge of their box. On 6 minutes the home side had a massive let off when a Holcroft free kick hit the inside of Ryan Cheshire’s right hand post, rolled across the goal line beyond the other post and out for a goal kick.

Tividale’s first foray into the Casuals half, led to Bladen firing wide after a great run from Darragh Bustin on 18 minutes. A minute later and Casuals took a well deserved lead. A great overlap and cross from full back Craig Radford and Holcroft was at the back post to nod the visitors into the lead.

Just as Tividale seemed to get a bit of a foothold into the game and were unfortunate not to equalise in the 34th minute when from a Joe Lawley free kick Bladen fired straight into the arms of Casuals keeper Vitor Pinherio, they give away another silly free kick a minute later. This time Hughes stepped up and beat Cheshire all ends up with a stunner.

Four minutes later and after another piece of slipshod defending, Hughes made the most of it stabbing the ball home. It was now 3-0 to the visitors and the home side all over the place and praying for half time before anymore damage was done.

Half-time: Tividale 0-3 Wolverhampton Casuals

It was obvious after the first couple of minutes that Tividale were not going to go down wondering in the second half. On 47 minutes a Bustin cross was met by Bladen but although his header beat Pinheiro it was cleared off the line. Seconds later Bladen was foiled by a brilliant Shaquille Lee tackle. On 54 minutes Tividale got the goal their second half performance deserved, but it was a rather fortunate goal. Lawley whipped in a free kick from the right side of the Casuals area and it beat everyone and nestled just inside Pinherio’s far post.

On the hour the game could have been dead and buried for the home side, when Tividale midfielder Curtis Cocking was controversially shown a straight red card. A decision that Tividale have reported that they will appeal.

Losing 3-1 and down to 10 men, it looked to be going pear shaped for Tividale, but there is no rolling over with this squad and on 68 minutes it was game on. This time Lawley was the provider as he attacked the left byline, flashed in a cross that Jones was on hand to side foot into the roof of the net. On 72 minutes Lawley tried what looked like a cross from a free kick about 10 yards in the opposing half and out by the left touchline, but the power of the cross beat everyone, caught Pinheiro out and the keeper could only watch as it flashed wide.

Two minutes later and Lawley stood over another free kick, this one was by the same left touchline but only a couple of yards in the Casuals half. We will never know if that first effort was just a sighter, but this time he absolutely hammered it, straight over the stranded Pinheiro and into the roof of the net, sparking absolutely wild scenes as Lawley became the base of a 10 man Tividale pyramid.

The last 12 minutes saw both teams try to get that elusive winner as the came became stretched, but on the 90 plus minutes play a draw was the correct score line

Full Time: Tividale 3-3 Wolverhampton Casuals

Tividale:- Ryan Cheshire, 2.Tom Hurdman, 3. Darragh Bustin 4.Karl Gardner (12. Elliott Hartley 65), 5.Daniel Bryson, 6.Freddie Watts, 7. Joe Colley, 8. Curtis Cocking, 9. Chris Bladen (14. Harvey Walker 88) 10. Nathan Jones, 11. Joe Lawley

Unused Subs:-15.Chris Hill, 16. Jack Lee, 17. Bradley Welding.