Newport Town 1 – 3 Tividale
Today we visited RAF Cosford to start our first ever MJPL game against Newport Town.
Straight from the Newport kick off Tividale pressed and within the first minute they were unlucky not to take the lead when Josh Marsden robbed a defender down the left before delivering a great ball across the box to Samuel Okaku who shot just wide. Tividale continued to boss possession and on three minutes Josh Marsden was again causing Newport problems when his fierce left footed drive was pushed out, by the diving keeper, for a corner.
Tividale were always on the front foot and they got their reward on 9 minutes when, from the right hand side, a Samuel Okaku cross was headed home by Harry Beasley. The goal seemed to wake up Newport and Tividale keeper, Shane Willetts, had to be alert when he made a good save on 10 minutes. Newport were now having longer spells of possession but Tividale always looked the more dangerous and it was no surprise when they got their second goal on 20 minutes. A through ball from Eddie Whatmore put Jack Rhodes through on goal and although Jack’s shot was well saved by the advancing keeper the rebound fell nicely for Alex Johnson to fire the ball into the back of the net.
Newport’s attempts to get back into the game were thwarted by a combination of no nonsense defending and steady goal keeping and at half time it was 2-0 to Tividale.
Half time: Newport Town 0 Tividale 2
Newport came out stronger second half but it was Tividale that landed the killer blow on 40 minutes when another Josh Marsden strike was saved by the keeper but his parry fell to the busy Jack Mills who kept his composure and rifled the ball home to put the game beyond Newport.
To give credit to Newport they never gave up and after a couple of close calls from free kicks they got a deserved goal on 75 minutes when a ball over the top was pounced upon and brilliantly finished by the striker who lobbed the advancing Shane Willetts from 20 yards. Newport pushed looking for another goal but, defending as a unit, Tividale held firm. During the last 15 there were half chances for both teams but on the final whistle it was a deserved victory for Tividale.
