West Midland Regional League

Premier Division

Tuesday 15th August 2017

Tividale 4 v 0 Pegasus Juniors

Over the last couple of years Tividale have had to learn the art of defending as their young side have battled against the odds on many occasions. So the effort that the visitors put into this game did not go unnoticed.

Once again manager Dave King had to shuffle his pack. With goalkeeper Ryan Cheshire, centre back Dan Wells, midfielder Curtis Cocking and forward Dan Smith all carrying knock’s from the Cradley game. In came new signing goalkeeper Reiss Jeavons on loan from Stourbridge, Chris Hill, Harvey Walker and Nathan Jones.

The first 15 minutes was a cagey affair with Tividale probing but Pegasus defending well and were obviously in no mood offer the home side any clear sight on their goal. It was the visitors who had the first chance when from a 10th minute corner a Nick Panniers goal bound header was cleared off the line. From the clearance Jones was put through on goal and it took a brilliant save from Pegasus keeper Stuart Turpin to deny him the opening goal. Tividale continued to press and on 13 minutes a Tom Hurdman cross found Darragh Bustin at the far post but he sent his shot wide. For the rest of the half Tividale had the majority of the possession but just could not break the visitors solid defence down leaving the home side to resort to mainly hopeful pot shots, and when they did get a sight of the target they were closed down and smothered out by Pegasus defenders.

Half Time:-Half Time: Tividale 0 v 0 Pegasus Juniors

The visitors made a change at half time, bringing on Jake Warren for Tom Nunn, but that did not stem the tide as Tividale lifted their game and there crisp passing really had the visitors looking at a long half chasing the ball. But when they did gain possession they tried to catch the home side with quick counter attacks.

On 50 minutes a fierce Bustin shot was blocked and the ball fell to Joe Lawley who could not keep the rebound down and it went over. A minute later another Bustin effort was well saved before a Lawley free kick was headed wide by Jones.

As the game went into the final third it began to look as though the visitors might hold out for a point and on 62 minutes they had a great chance to snatch the lead when a mix up in the Tividale defence left Pegasus striker Ben Price one on one with Jeavons but he fired over the bar.

Tividale then made a triple substitution bringing on striker Chris Bladen with Elliott Hartley and Dan Wells to inject some pace against the tiring Pegasus defence. The changes brought immediate dividends when a Lawley free kick from the left hand side of the box was glanced past Turpin and into the net. Who had the final touch between Bladen and defender Nick Panniers? well it was tough to see but whoever got the touch made no difference to the score line it was 1-0 to Tividale on 68 minutes.

With them being a goal down Pegasus played some of there best football and while Tividale were still missing chances including a Lawley effort that rattled the post, the visitors were looking a lot more threatening and were unlucky not to draw level with an effort that came back off the cross bar.

But on 87 minutes Tividale wrapped up the points when Hartley outpaced full back Carl Horton and whipped in a low cross and there was no doubt about the scorer this time as Bladen side foot the ball home. A minute later it was 3-0 as Bustin beat the offside trap and slid the ball past Turpin and literally straight from the kick off Pegasus lost possession and this time Bustin became the provider as his right wing cross was met by Smith whose shot gave Turpin no chance.

Full Time:-Tividale 4 v 0 Pegasus Juniors.

Tividale FC:- 1.Reiss Jeavons, 2.Tom Hurdman, 3. Darragh Bustin 4.Karl Gardner, 5.Freddie Watts, 6.Chris Hill, 7.Liam Wilkinson, 8. Harvey Walker (14. Elliott Hartley 65), 9. Tyree Clarke (17. Dan Smith 65), 10. Nathan Jones (15.Chris Bladen 65), 11. Joe Lawley

Unused Subs:- 12. Daniel Wells, 17.Bradley Welding,