West Midland Regional League

Premier Division

Tuesday 14th November 2017

Black Country Rangers 2-2 Tividale

Tividale fail to power past Rangers

This game was always going to be one of the tougher league games this season. After all, it was a local derby, against former tenants and they have been scoring goals for fun lately.

So it was going to be a typical who wanted it  most match so it was no surprise that it would be a close games. But as in many of these built up games it actually lacked any real quality. Tividale were welcoming back Liam Wilkinson for his first start since September through injury but he broke down in the warm up.

It was a highly charged start to the game and both team’s were not holding back in the challenges and the game was regularly punctuated by referee Adrian Hall’s whistle. Tividale had the first clear chance when a Darragh Bustin cross found Tyree Clarke but his shot was well saved by Asai Daniels on 14 minutes.

A minute later and Rangers were ahead. They had tried the ball over the top a number of times for their two forwards Shaquille McDonald and ex Tividale forward Shaquille Whittingham to use their pace, and up till now Tividale’s defence had dealt with it, but this time Whittingham was allowed time and space and he made no mistake latching onto the long ball and beating Ryan Cheshire with a clinical finish. A minute later and Whittingham was through again but this time he shot wide.

Although Tividale were dominating possession Rangers were dangerous on the break and it was nothing more than Tividale deserved when on 21 minutes Demetri Brown headed them level from a  ball swung in from the left. Dan Smith then hit the cross bar with an effort.

The rest of the half was just a long list of stoppages due to niggly fouls and without a lot of football being played as both teams cancelled each other out.

Half-time:- Black Country Rangers 1-1 Tividale

The second half was much more of the same and while Tividale were again ahead on possession, Ranger’s were still threatening on the counter and should have been ahead again when McDonald rattled the crossbar when clean through.

With 10 minutes to go and the game heading for a draw Brown got the wrong side of Rangers full back Jason Chilton in the area and the defender brought him down giving Mr Hall no option but to award a penalty. Joe Lawley stepped up and sent Daniels the wrong way.

It looked as though Tividale had nicked the three points but on 86 minutes Rangers created another chance this time Cheshire got to Whittingham’s effort but could not hold onto it and McDonald was on hand to stab the ball home.

So it was share of the points in a game that never really got going.

Full Time:- Black Country Rangers 2-2 Tividale

Tividale:-1 Ryan Cheshire, 2.Tom Hurdman, 3. Darragh Bustin 4.Karl Gardner, 5. Dan Wells,  6. Joe Colley (15. Elliott Hartley 75), 7 Demetri Brown, 8. Curtis Cocking (14. Harvey Walker 75),  9. Tyree Clarke, 10. Daniel Smith (12. Bradley Welding 80), 11. Joe Lawley.

Unused Subs:-.16. Liam Wilkinson.